Bangkok— If you are one of those who never get tired of seeing the little one pygmy hippopotamus Moo Deng, from Thailandthere’s now an official song featuring the internet’s favorite baby animalreleased in four languages for its fans around the world.
The upbeat 50-second song “Moodeng Moodeng,” available in Thai, English, Chinese and Japanese, features simple lyrics like “Moo Deng Moo Deng, boing boing boing.” (Mom, mom, play with me). Its music video consists of short clips of the baby hippo bouncing, playing with its caregiver, or spending time with its mother Jona.
The catchy song was produced and written by well-known Thai composer Mueanphet Ammara, and released by one of Thailand’s biggest music companies, GMM Music.
Moo Deng — whose name literally means “jumping pig,” a type of meatball, in Thai — became a global phenomenon just a month after being featured on Facebook by the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand’s southern Chon Buri province.
Fans say his name complements his chaotic personality. Moo Deng likes to “deng,” or bounce, and his joyful bouncing has been all over social media in countless memes. His image has been used by sports teams and businesses.
The hippopotamus, now four months old, has attracted a large number of visitors to the zoo, which is about two hours’ drive from the capital, Bangkok. The zoo estimated it has received 3,000 to 5,000 visitors a day on average in recent months, and is selling clothing, bedding and other merchandise bearing Moo Deng’s image.
Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi has said increased income from Moo Deng will help fund programs to breed many endangered species, such as the pygmy hippopotamus, which is threatened by illegal hunting and habitat loss. The species is native to western Africa and only between 2,000 and 3,000 specimens remain in the wild.
The zoo spans almost 2,000 acres of land and is home to more than 2,000 animals.
All four versions of Moo Deng’s song are available on YouTube and streaming platforms, including Spotify and Apple Music.