Viral Thai hippo Moo Deng predicts Trump will win US election

Moo Deng’s fruity forecast adds a dash of fun to the election frenzy – leaving voters wondering if the pygmy hippo has called it right

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Moo Deng eats a dish of carved fruit with Donald Trump’s name in Thai, with her mother Joana (right) in their enclosure at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Bburi province. Photo: Khao Kheow Open Zoo / AFP

Published: 3:49pm, 5 Nov 2024Updated: 3:59pm, 5 Nov 2024

Thailand’s viral female baby pygmy hippo, Moo Deng, has put her soothsaying skills to the test by predicting Donald Trump will prevail over Kamala Harris in Tuesday’s US presidential election.

The three-month-old Moo Deng, which means “bouncy pork” in Thai, skyrocketed to social media stardom after her adorable videos became a hit on TikTok and Instagram, inspiring memes, souvenirs and business opportunities.

On Monday, the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province released a video showing the internet sensation being offered two dishes of carved fruit, each adorned with the names of Trump and Harris.

Moo Deng picked the Republican candidate by eagerly devouring the Trump-labelled treat. Both Trump and Democratic Vice-President Harris have been locked in a tight contest for the presidency.

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Opinion polls indicate a deadlock, but while these can’t definitively predict the winner, many social media users viewed the zoo’s event as a refreshing distraction from a rambunctious presidential campaign often characterised by violent rhetoric, misogynistic attacks, and misinformation.