Moo Deng, the bouncy baby pygmy hippo that took pop culture by storm, has put eastern Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo on the map, even prompting the facility to build and expand roadways to accommodate the influx of international visitors.

The zoo defended its care for Moo Deng, arguing the baby hippo receives the best possible care and is part of a conservation programme Thailand has dismissed as outdated, animal rights group Peta's accusations that an internet-famous female baby pygmy hippo "faces a lifetime of confinement" at a local zoo cashing in on the mammal's stardom.

Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippo from Thailand, has inspired a viral makeup trend featuring glossy skin and soft pink blush. TikTok creators are recreating the look, making the hippo a sensation in the beauty world.

Moo Deng is biting back at fame. The viral pigmy hippo has racked up millions of views online from adoring fans who can’t get over her cuteness — but in real life, she’s been a naughty girl. A late September video shot inside months-old Moo Deng’s enclosure within Thailand’s Chonburi zoo showed the feisty female coming at her caretaker,