Celebrity Baby Hippo Is Cash Cow For Thai Zoo
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A baby pygmy hippo that shot to social media fame in Thailand has become a lucrative source of income for Khao Kheow Open Zoo
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Moo Deng, whose name in Thai means "bouncy pork", has drawn tens of thousands of visitors to the zoo this month
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The two-month-old pygmy hippo went viral on TikTok and Instagram for her cheeky antics
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Ticket sales this month are almost at $590,000 - more than four times the same period last year, says a report
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The zoo has set up a round-the-clock livestream of the hippo's enclosure to ease waiting times
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It is also hoping the Moo Deng fever spurs further merchandise sales; a pygmy hippo-themed T-shirt line was launched last week
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Endangered pygmy hippos are native to West Africa, and there are only an estimated 2,000-2,500 left in the world, according to the IUCN
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ndtv.com