A home cook makes healthy sweet jellies that are shaped like the baby hippo Moo Deng.

Nongnaphat Sapanuch, 46, moulds the treats to resemble the famous pygmy hippopotamus at in her kitchen and takes them to a hospital where she works as a nurse in Trang province, Thailand.

Footage shows varieties of tiny Moo Deng jellies used as toppings for coconut milk-based desserts. Vegetables and fruits, as well as heart-shaped designs, decorated the cups.

There were pink, grey, and brown hippos, but all had pink chubby cheeks.

Nongnaphat said: ‘I have been selling jellies to coworkers and friends at Trang Hospital and thought of making a Moo Deng version. It is very popular.'

The nurse added that her jellies are low in sugar and healthy and delicious.

She said: ‘My jellies are suitable for followers of the Vegetarian Festival. I use only agar powder, fresh coconut milk, pandan leaves, and food colouring without milk or butter.'

A week after she started selling them, Nongnaphat added that she was overwhelmed by the number of orders placed at the hospital and online.

She said: ‘My customers keep them in the fridge for up to four days, ideal as snacks for breaks or parties. Most of my buyers are parents who give it to their children.'

Nongnaphat plans to make more coconut jellies shaped like Moo Deng and her mum in different colours.

She said: ‘During the Vegetarian Festival, I earned 2,000 baht (45.98 GBP) a day from Moo Deng jellies.'

Moo Deng jellies cost 15 baht (0.34 GBP) each and 20 baht (0.46 GBP) for two pieces. If customers buy four, they cost 50 baht (1.15 GBP), while a box of 12 pieces with vegetables and fruits is sold for 150 baht (3.45 GBP).

Moo Deng is a two-month-old pygmy hippopotamus living at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. She was born on July 20, 2024, to her parents Tony and Jonah and was named Moo Deng, which means bouncy pig, through a public poll, with more than 20,000 people voting.

She drew crowds to the zoo after gaining popularity in September 2024 as a popular internet meme, following trending images of her emerging online.

Her fame surged when the zoo posted pictures of her on its Facebook page, showcasing her in funny gestures.

Due to her popularity, the number of daily visitors to the zoo doubled in early September.
The Zoological Park Organization of Thailand reported that the number of tourists visiting reached 159,743, a significant increase from August's total of 98,046.

The pygmy hippopotamus is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List and is classified under Appendix II of CITES.

Pygmy hippos are small hippopotamids native to the forests and swamps of West Africa, primarily in Liberia, with small populations in Sierra Leone, Guinea, and Ivory Coast.

(1 THB=0.02 GBP)