‘Moo Deng’, the pygmy hippopotamus at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri, has received a heartwarming letter and drawing from a seven-year-old girl in Brazil, who described the hippo as cute and funny.
Sofia wrote the letter in Portuguese, her native language, saying that she wanted to hug Moo Deng. The zoo, where Moo Deng lives, translated the letter into English and Thai before sharing its contents with the public.
Sofia wrote to Moo Deng, saying that her father often showed her videos of the young hippo on Instagram.
“Hello Moo Deng. My name is Sofia. I am seven years old. I have been watching videos of Moo Deng since I was very little. My dad always shows me Moo Deng’s videos on Instagram,” Sofia wrote.
“I think Moo Deng is very cute and very funny too. I really want to hug Moo Deng, but I live very far away in Brazil. When I grow up, I want to travel to Thailand to meet Moo Deng.” She also wished Moo Deng plenty of fun and lots of delicious watermelon to eat.
At the end of her letter, Sofia asked Moo Deng to “stamp” it with a kiss or footprint to let her know that it had been received.
Moo Deng responded in her own adorable way, leaving a series of tail marks across the letter as a special acknowledgement and thank-you.
The zoo also shared a photo showing a staff member using Moo Deng’s tail to stamp the letter.
One commentator noted that Sofia had actually asked Moo Deng to stamp the letter with her foot.
Another said zoo staff had initially tried to use the hippo’s foot, but the letter was torn in the process, prompting them to use her tail instead.
The zoo also thanked Sofia and her father for their love and the beautiful drawing, saying that Moo Deng had received the letter and would be waiting for Sofia to visit her at the zoo one day.
Moo Deng was born at the zoo in July 2024 and quickly became an online sensation because of her playful behaviour and distinctive appearance. Moo Deng’s popularity has grown so much that the zoo authority has registered her name, “Moo Deng”, as a trademark to protect her name and identity.
