Endangered pygmy hippo at Thai zoo goes viral | AFP

Moo Deng -- whose name in Thai means “bouncy pork“, a popular snack -- is now an unwitting poster child for the endangered pygmy hippo. Native to West Africa, the pygmy hippo is threatened by human activities, such as logging, mining and poaching, and there are only 2,000 to 2,500 left in the world, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Moo Deng's caretaker and social media manager Atthapon Nundee, 31, said the rise of short-form videos has turbocharged the pygmy hippo's fame and hopes it will be a boon for biodiversity preservation. Interested in licensing this video ? Get in touch 👉 N.B.: AFP’s services and content are for professional use only