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Should You Be Supporting the Zoo That Houses Moo Deng the Pygmy Hippo?
Moo Deng, which aptly means ‘bouncy pig’ may only be several months old but she is already a worldwide internet sensation. The pygmy hippopotamus, which resides in the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Chonburi, Thailand has spawned her merchandise line, inspired a Sephora makeup tutorial, and has even been the subject of a Saturday Night Live sketch.
However, X user @doggtism has also spoken up saying that people should not be supporting the zoo that houses Moo Deng, via a thread that has 5.7M views as of the time of writing.
Here are some of the reasons they shared:
Alleged abuse of elephants
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Image Credit: @doggtismThe Khao Kheow Open Zoo doesn’t have a spotless reputation. They are known for hosting “elephant swim shows” where the staff sometimes ride on the backs of elephants and force them underwater, even grabbing onto their ears for control. They are also made to perform various tricks. As reported by the New York Post, although elephants are natural-born swimmers, they are being forced to perform.
According to a campaign that was started to put an end to elephant shows, trainers use cruel techniques to beat animals into submission so that they will be docile for the public.
Visitors have also posted reviews of the zoo, saying that handlers “used iron bars with a sharp (end) to hit them at their trunk and sting them deep into the skin…in my opinion they should not be allowed to take care of animals at all under these conditions.”
Dilapidated living conditions
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Image Credit: @doggtismThe animals at the zoo also apparently live in less than desirable conditions as the user wrote that the “enclosures are subpar, walls caked with dirt.”
No control of guests
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Image Credit: @doggtismGuests are (seemingly) allowed to feed and interact with the animals, “I mean all of them,” the user wrote. Among the reasons why humans shouldn’t be allowed to touch wild animals is to get close to a wild animal, they must be trained or even “broken” in.
Abuse of Moo Deng
According to the user, Moo Deng’s fame has also caused some problems. Staff are regularly seen “playing” with her and irritating her for reactions. There are definitely concerns as to whether she is handled way too much for the sake of clout.
In this video, the person is seen poking Moo Deng’s face repeatedly and even slapping her butt.
Moo Deng’s fame has also caused some problems. Staff are regularly seen “playing” with her and irritating her for reactions. There are definitely concerns as to whether she is handled way too much for the sake of clout. pic.twitter.com/SGu8y3077t— I bet on losing dogs (@doggtism) September 30, 2024
On top of that, Moo Deng has had food thrown at her by visitors to get her attention and one visitor even poured water over the sleeping creature. This has led the zoo to install surveillance cameras around Moo Deng’s enclosure.
The X user ended by writing, “There’s no doubt, Moo Deng is absolutely adorable, but there’s a dark side beyond the surface. Some of these stories of abuse are old, so I sincerely hope this facility has cleaned up their act. But I’m not holding my breath.”
Featured Image Credit: instagram.com/khaokheow.zoo/
Featured Image Credit: instagram.com/khaokheow.zoo/
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