Thailand’s viral baby hippo Moo Deng predicts 2024 presidential election winner

A beloved zoo animal in Thailand predicted the winner of the 2024 U.S. election.

In a video posted on TikTok by the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand’s viral baby hippo, Moo Deng, “predicted” a win for former president Donald Trump.

The viral video shows Moo Deng choosing between two watermelon cakes, both covered with the name of each presidential candidate, Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris. 

Moo Deng picks the watermelon with Trump’s name on it.

“If Moo Deng thinks Trump’s got it, then who are we to argue? Cake and confidence, now that’s a winning combo!” one person commented on X.

“Smart hippo … so much winning,” another person commented. 

“See, it’s not that hard, people … even the hippo knows who’s better for America,” another person commented on the video. 

Moo Deng, who was born on July 10, 2024, to parents Tony and Jona, has become a bona fide viral sensation after images of her reacting strongly to a bath were shared on X.

Since then, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in the province of Chonburi has experienced a massive influx of visitors as people seek to get a glimpse of the baby hippo. 

Online, particularly on X and TikTok, users have expressed their adoration of Moo Deng, and her expressive face has been used as reaction memes. 

Moo Deng, whose name translates to “Bouncy Pig” or “Bouncy Pork,” is a pygmy hippopotamus, an endangered species. 

Pygmy hippopotamuses are found in West Africa, mainly Liberia, according to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation’s website. There are about 2,000 pygmy hippos remaining in the wild.

The pygmy hippopotamus is about half as tall as a standard hippopotamus, and weighs about a quarter as much. 

They grow to a height of approximately 2.5 feet tall, according to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation.