A baby hippo played on grass, delighting visitors in the wake of Moo Deng's popularity.

Footage shows the newborn hippopotamus curiously sniffing the grass while its mum ate at a zoo in Sisaket, Thailand, on November 2.

The hippo was named Hom Dang, meaning shallot, a name selected through a public vote.

Since Hom Dang was transferred to its parent's enclosure, more tourists gathered to watch them.

Zookeepers hope that Hom Dang will emulate the popularity of Moo Deng, who was born earlier this year and became an online star.

A three-month-old pygmy hippopotamus from another zoo, Moo Deng, in Chonburi province, has also become popular with visitors.

Moo Deng was born on July 20, 2024, to her parents Tony and Jonah at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province. She 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.