She’s an icon, she’s a legend, Moo Deng is the moment. While most hippos are hungry hungry, Moo Deng is thirsty thirsty.
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!
ถ่ายให้ทันนะนุด..5555 📸😅🤣🦛#หมูเด้ง #ลูกฮิปโปโปแคระ#ฮิปโป #น่ารัก#Moodeng #khaokheowzoo#Khaokheowopenzoo#PygmyHippopotamus #Hippo#สวนสัตว์เปิดเขาเขียว #ชลบุรี pic.twitter.com/8hc6PwfdTg
— สวนสัตว์เปิดเขาเขียว 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. Kato’s 3D foam work is world class, and her sculpted Moo Deng latte art doesn’t disappoint.
🦛🥄#หมูเด้ง https://t.co/fPudkKhID0 pic.twitter.com/wQAhtP8qyf
— 加藤瑠菜@Latteart☕.◦*.＊。🇯🇵 (@RunaPocket) September 14, 2024
The perfectly round cheeks can be smooshed nicely with Kato’s signature touchable 3D lattes, known as “mochi mochi” art. The resemblance and bounciness are spot on.
🦛💦#หมูเด้ง https://t.co/VEAHGURwU7 pic.twitter.com/XyTr4J8CwE
— 加藤瑠菜@Latteart☕.◦*.＊。🇯🇵 (@RunaPocket) September 11, 2024
Here’s another 3D version by @Naoki_latte on Instagram. So bouncy and pet-able, which is not recommended in real life unless you’re Moo Deng’s brave handler.
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Here’s a timelapse of Naoki’s rendition of Moo Deng’s famous pink cheeks and her screaming while getting a bath. Truly this is the iconic image of our time.
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It’s Moo Deng’s slippery, bitey world and we’re all just living in it.
Brianna Fox-Priest is a freelance journalist in Japan covering coffee, video games, and Japanese pop culture. Read more Brianna Fox-Priest on Sprudge.
