Footage shows an artist making an awesome wooden model of the popular baby pygmy hippo Moo Peng.

Muangthong Imthong spent two days making the sculpture of Moo Deng, the two-year-old hippo, who has become a star in Chonburi, Thailand.

Footage shows the man intricately carving basswood and painting it to resemble the animal on September 12.

Muangthong said: 'This one isn't hard to carve, but Moo Deng has a round shape, so it takes time to do the layers at the neck.'

The two-month-old female pygmy hippo - whose name translates to 'bouncy pig' - is attracting large numbers of visitors to the zoo in Chonburi near the city of Pattaya.

She even has a large following online.

However, carers at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo have warned visitors not to overdo their kindness as it could harm the animal.

Zoo manager Narongwit Chodchoi said some visitors have been throwing shellfish and even splashing water on Moo Deng to try to coax her out of sleep.

He added: 'This behaviour is not only cruel but also dangerous. We must protect these animals and ensure that they have a safe and comfortable environment.'

Narongwit said the zoo has installed CCTV cameras around the enclosures and threatened legal action against those who mistreat the baby hippo.

Pygmy hippos, native to West Africa, are classified as endangered due to habitat loss and hunting. Fewer than 3,000 are believed to remain in the wild.

A hippo is sometimes known as a river horse as the name 'hippopotamus' comes from the ancient Greek words 'hippos', meaning 'horse' and 'potamos', meaning 'river'.