Moo Deng: Thailand’s personality of the year
Time magazine’s annual selection for Person of the Year often reflects on the individuals who have captured global attention. While it is usually presidents and influential figures, it is clear here in Thailand who truly deserves the title. Forget the political icons—our beloved Moo Deng, the pint-sized pygmy hippo, has captured hearts, taken over social media, and established herself as the sassy, adorable, and irreplaceable queen of 2024.
Moo Deng embodies everything we yearn for in turbulent times: joy, resilience, and a much-needed reminder that even in a fast-paced world, there’s room for innocence and wonder. Playful yet poised, cute yet commanding, she is a national treasure whose influence goes beyond viral videos and swooning fans.
One thing is certain—Moo Deng isn’t just Thailand’s sweetheart; she’s our beacon of hope and maybe, just maybe, she can save her species.
Moo Deng and the pygmy hippo’s conservation story
Moo Deng’s meteoric rise to fame stems from her power of cuteness in a culture that celebrates the art of adoration. Yet, beneath the joy she inspires lies an urgent and sobering reality. As one of the few pygmy hippos in captivity, Moo Deng is more than just an internet darling—she’s an ambassador for conservation, a living symbol of a species on the brink of disappearing.
Native to the lush forests and swamps of West Africa, pygmy hippos (Choeropsis liberiensis) are the world’s smallest hippo species, weighing around 180 to 275 kilogrammes compared to their much larger Nile hippo cousins. They are nocturnal, secretive, and solitary, making them difficult to study in their dense forest habitats.
Their charm and elusive habits are steeped in local folklore: Liberian tales say they navigate forests at night by carrying diamonds in their mouths to light their path. Meanwhile, legends in the Ivory Coast claim that glimpsing a pygmy hippo’s tail and laughing will drive you mad.
Despite their mythic aura, the pygmy hippo’s real-world plight is sobering. Listed as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), their numbers are dwindling due to habitat loss, deforestation, and hunting. Researchers estimate there are fewer than 3,000 left in the wild, although even that number is uncertain, as the animals are so elusive they seem to be disappearing without footprints.
Zoos play a critical role in the species’ survival. With only around 450 pygmy hippos in captivity worldwide, every individual counts. With that, breeding programs, educational initiatives, and conservation efforts hinge on these captive populations to raise awareness and buy time for their wild counterparts.
Can Moo Deng save her species?
It’s hard to deny the impact Moo Deng has had in bringing attention to her species. Her cheeky antics and undeniable charm have reached far beyond the zoo gates, sparking conversations about Wildlife conservation and the urgent need to protect endangered animals.
Pygmy hippos face unique challenges in the wild. Habitat degradation caused by deforestation for agriculture and hunting continues to threaten their survival. Conservation efforts in West Africa are often hampered by poverty and corruption, making it difficult to enforce protections for wildlife.
Even with international support, the uphill battle to save these animals is daunting. Yet Moo Deng serves as a symbol of hope, showing that even small steps can make a big difference. Through her playful splashes and soulful eyes, she’s become more than just a zoo attraction—she’s a rallying cry for the survival of her kind.
Personality of the year, and a symbol of hope
As we just stepped into 2025, we often look for symbols to guide us—symbols of resilience, joy, and the promise of a better tomorrow. Moo Deng is all of that and more. In her, we see the best of what we can achieve when we care and act.
Just as Time’s Person of the Year reflects the forces shaping our world, Moo Deng demonstrates the spirit of Thailand and a global yearning for hope. She reminds us of the delicate balance of nature, the urgency of conservation, and the power of a single creature to unite and inspire.
At the start of the new year, let’s raise our glasses to Moo Deng, Thailand’s Personality of the Year. May her charm, story, and species endure for generations to come.
