Just a month after Thailand’s baby pygmy hippo, Moo Deng, was introduced on Facebook, her rise to fame has been unstoppable. For fans unable to make the two-hour journey from Bangkok to the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, where she resides, video clips and memes of the adorable hippo have flooded social media.

Zookeeper Atthapon Nundee, who has shared heartwarming moments of the zoo’s animals for five years, never expected the newborn hippo to become an internet sensation so quickly.

On Thursday, cars began lining up outside the zoo well before its opening, as visitors flocked from near and far to catch a glimpse of the pudgy, expressive two-month-old hippo. Moo Deng’s enclosure, which she shares with her mother Jona, quickly filled with eager fans who cheered every time the baby made a move.

"It exceeded all expectations," Atthapon told The Associated Press. "I wanted people to know her, visit her, watch her online, or leave fun comments. I never imagined it would turn into this."

Moo Deng, which literally means “bouncy pork” in Thai, is a type of meatball. The name was chosen by fans via a poll on social media, and it matches her other siblings: Moo Toon (stewed pork) and Moo Waan (sweet pork). There is also a common hippo at the zoo named Kha Moo (stewed pork leg).

The zoo sits on 800 hectares (almost 2,000 acres) of land and is home to more than 2,000 animals. It runs breeder programs for many endangered species like Moo Deng’s. The pygmy hippopotamus that’s native to West Africa is threatened by poaching and loss of habitat. There are only 2,000-3,000 of them left in the wild.

Source and Photo Cr.: The Nation