In recent weeks, Moo Deng the adorable baby pygmy hippo has become a global internet sensation with her hilarious antics, winning over netizens one meme at a time.
Source: ดูอะไรดี on Facebook
Thanks to her popularity, Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, Thailand, where she calls home, has raked in a whopping 12.97 million baht (around S$509,000) in just the first 19 days of September.
Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoy shared that the public’s fascination with this two-month-old cutie has led to a 50% increase in visitor numbers.
Between 1 and 19 Sept, a total of 81,786 people couldn’t resist coming to Moo Deng in action.
The zoo is gearing up for a fantastic fiscal finish, anticipating revenue to hit 200 million baht (around S$7.9 million) from over one million visitors by the end of this month..
Mr Narongwit expects the Moo Deng craze to attract more foreign visitors, particularly from other Asian countries like Japan, China, and South Korea.
Source: Khao Kheow Open Zoo on Facebook
Visitors can’t get enough of Moo Deng, especially from 7.45am to 9am when she’s at her most active, and in the afternoon during her mum Jona’s feeding.
During these peak hours, guests need to queue up and are limited to just five minutes of adorable hippo time.
To cash in on the cuteness, the zoo has also started selling Moo Deng-themed T-shirts for 329 baht (S$12.90) each, boosting its revenue even more.
While the zoo is riding high on success, some folks are raising concerns about the welfare of the animals.
One commenter urged the zoo to use its earnings to improve the conditions for all the creatures.
Earlier this month, visitors started splashing water and tossing objects to get Moo Deng’s attention, which led the zoo to implement measures to discourage this behaviour.
To ensure everyone has a great time, the zoo has instructed staff to focus on the safety of both visitors and animals during this expected influx.
They’re also on top of cleanliness, waste management, and making sure services like golf carts, trams, restaurants, and beverage shops are ready to roll.
Also read: Braised pork knuckle sales soar in Thailand due to resemblance to viral chonky hippo Moo Deng
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Featured image adapted from Khao Kheow Open Zoo on Facebook, ขาหมู แอนด์เดอะแก๊ง on Facebook
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