Thai environmentalist criticises Moo Deng’s living condition at zoo
A Thai environmentalist and social media influencer criticised Khao Kheow Zoo in Chon Buri over the living conditions of its well-known pygmy hippo, Moo Deng, prompting divided reactions among Thai netizens.
Siranudh “Sai” Scott, an environmentalist and a former national park ranger, posted images of a pond within Moo Deng‘s habitat on his X account and said in the caption…
“The other day, I saw pictures showing the current state of Moo Deng’s enclosure. It’s really sad to see it like this. Despite the income generated by Moo Deng, he is just another marketing tool to the people around him.”
The photographs were originally shared on Instagram by conservation photojournalist Aaron Gekoski, who also criticised Moo Deng’s living conditions. He pointed to what he described as a dirty pond covered in waste.
The posts prompted divided reactions among Thai netizens. Some backed Sai’s criticism, while others defended the zoo and Moo Deng’s zookeeper, Auttaphon “Benz” Nundee, who is described as closely caring for the pygmy hippo.
Some commenters accused Sai of discouraging a zookeeper, who they said had been working hard to look after Moo Deng and other animals. Others argued Sai did not understand hippos, saying they like living in ponds filled with their own waste.
Other netizens pointed to Khao Kheow Zoo’s standards and said the zoo had been losing money for many years in the past while still feeding its animals properly.
In response, the official Facebook page for Moo Deng and other hippos at the zoo, Kha Moo and the Gang, issued a clarification. The page said the zookeeper and the zoo director did not want to create drama and understood Sai’s good intentions.
The page also said the zoo plans to build a “hippo village” to provide Moo Deng and the other hippos with a better home. It added that the plan began before Moo Deng was born, but that procedures were progressing through the zoo’s processes.
The page administrator, believed to be Benz, added that he also wanted Moo Deng to have a new and improved home as soon as possible.
The page later reposted an AI-generated image created by Moo Deng’s fans showing the hippo floating in a clean swimming pool, saying the new home would look similar.
However, the administrator stressed Moo Deng would not remain in crystal-clear water all the time because of her natural behaviour and preference for mud and dirt, adding that another pond would be provided so she could maintain a more natural lifestyle.
Sai later reiterated that he did not intend to target the zoo or any zookeepers. He said he wanted Moo Deng to have living conditions that matched what she had contributed to the zoo and its visitors.
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