Sheโs an icon, sheโs a legend, Moo Deng is the moment. While most hippos are hungry hungry, Moo Deng is thirsty thirsty.ย
Born at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand just an hour and a half from Bangkok, Moo Deng is a pygmy hippo with a feisty attitude and adorable, slippery body. She has essentially had the internet in a chokehold for the last three months, and for good reason. Look at those rosy-cheeks!
เธเนเธฒเธขเนเธซเนเธเธฑเธเธเธฐเธเธธเธ..5555 ๐ธ๐ ๐คฃ๐ฆ#เธซเธกเธนเนเธเนเธ #เธฅเธนเธเธฎเธดเธเนเธเนเธเนเธเธฃเธฐ#เธฎเธดเธเนเธ #เธเนเธฒเธฃเธฑเธ#Moodeng #khaokheowzoo#Khaokheowopenzoo#PygmyHippopotamus #Hippo#เธชเธงเธเธชเธฑเธเธงเนเนเธเธดเธเนเธเธฒเนเธเธตเธขเธง #เธเธฅเธเธธเธฃเธต pic.twitter.com/8hc6PwfdTg
โ เธชเธงเธเธชเธฑเธเธงเนเนเธเธดเธเนเธเธฒเนเธเธตเธขเธง Khao Kheow Open Zoo (@KhaokheowZoo) October 20, 2024
The internet being the internet, there is now a plethora of Moo Deng fan art, merch, tributes, and yes, of course: latte art.
The best of the best comes from Runo Kato, creator of Latte Pocket, whom we spoke with in an exclusive interview back in 2022. Katoโs 3D foam work is world class, and her sculpted Moo Deng latte art doesnโt disappoint.
๐ฆ๐ฅ#เธซเธกเธนเนเธเนเธ https://t.co/fPudkKhID0 pic.twitter.com/wQAhtP8qyf
โ ๅ ่ค็ ่@Latteartโ.โฆ*.๏ผใ๐ฏ๐ต (@RunaPocket) September 14, 2024
The perfectly round cheeks can be smooshed nicely with Katoโs signature touchable 3D lattes, known as โmochi mochiโ art. The resemblance and bounciness are spot on.
๐ฆ๐ฆ#เธซเธกเธนเนเธเนเธ https://t.co/VEAHGURwU7 pic.twitter.com/XyTr4J8CwE
โ ๅ ่ค็ ่@Latteartโ.โฆ*.๏ผใ๐ฏ๐ต (@RunaPocket) September 11, 2024
Hereโs another 3D version by @Naoki_latte on Instagram. So bouncy and pet-able, which is not recommended in real life unless youโre Moo Dengโs brave handler.
View this post on Instagram
Hereโs a timelapse of Naokiโs rendition of Moo Dengโs famous pink cheeks and her screaming while getting a bath. Truly this is the iconic image of our time.
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Itโs Moo Dengโs slippery, bitey world and we’re all just living in it.
Brianna Fox-Priestย is a freelance journalist in Japan covering coffee, video games, and Japanese pop culture.ย Read more Brianna Fox-Priest on Sprudge.
