If you've been online at all recently, there's a good chance you've come across Moo Deng. The baby pygmy hippo has enthralled the internet for weeks, with photos of the adorable two-month-old plastered across every social media platform. People just can't get enough of Moo Deng, and would like to see the baby as frequently as possible.
Fortunately, Moo Deng's caretakers at Khao Kheow Open Zoo have heard your cries. The Thai zoo has launched a 24-hour livestream of its pygmy hippo enclosure, giving people the world over a chance to glimpse Moo Deng and coo over her cuteness in real time.
How to watch Moo Deng's livestream
Moo Deng's livestream is available via the Zoodio website, which also hosts livestreams of other animals such as elephants and penguins. To watch it, simply head over to Zoodio's hippopotamus page, then scroll down and select the "Live Streaming" tab.
The second tab above the information box, it shouldn't be too difficult to identify. Though the Zoodio website is in Thai, the "Live Streaming" tab is in English.
The livestream is also available on YouTube (embedded below), complete with a live chat so you can share your excitement with fellow Moo Deng enthusiasts.
When is the best time to see Moo Deng on the livestream?
Khao Kheow Open Zoo's pygmy hippo livestream runs for 24 hours, so you can tune in any time. However, this doesn't mean you'll definitely get to see the famous meatball whenever you pop over to the stream.
Aside from the fact that Moo Deng and her family are expected to continue their important pygmy hippo business with little concern for camera placement, there's also the time difference to consider. Thailand is 11 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time, meaning that Moo Deng's enclosure will be dark during daylight in the U.S. While pygmy hippos are nocturnal, visibility may not be the best.
Still, if you can't sleep and are looking for something to soothe you, it may be worth checking out Khao Kheow Open Zoo's livestream to see if Moo Deng will bless you with her presence.
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You should also keep Moo Deng's schedule in mind if you want the best chance of spotting her. According to a schedule shared on Khao Kheow Open Zoo's official social media accounts (translated by Facebook), Moo Deng starts her day with a shower at around 8 a.m. local time (9 p.m. EDT / 6 p.m. PDT).
Most of Moo Deng's time is spent sleeping in the water, sleeping on the ground, and waiting for her mum to eat. However, you may catch her being a little more active at around 2 p.m. (3 a.m. EDT / 12 a.m. PDT). She also spends some time playing with her mum at around 11 p.m. (12 p.m. EDT / 9 a.m. PDT).
Khao Kheow Open Zoo states that visitors have doubled since Moo Deng's birth in July, with people flocking from all corners to catch a glimpse of her. According to director Narongwit Chodchoi, 10,000 people recently came to visit on a single Saturday. In comparison, the zoo usually receives around 900 visitors on weekdays and 4000 on holidays.
Moo Deng's overwhelming popularity has also prompted the zoo to put a 5-minute viewing time limit at her enclosure, as well as restrict viewings to weekends for safety.
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Sadly, not all the crowds have been well-behaved. Some visitors have reportedly thrown objects at Moo Deng, splashed her with water, and shouted at her in attempts to wake her. The zoo has condemned such activity, installing security cameras and threatening legal action against anyone who harasses the hippos.
Fortunately, watching Moo Deng via livestream and squealing about her cuteness from home won't cause her any distress. There isn't a time-limit either, so you can stare at her squishy little face for as long as you like.
UPDATE: Oct. 1, 2024, 10:53 a.m. AEST This article has been updated to include the Zoodio Thailand YouTube livestream.
Topics Animals
