Fans gathered at a zoo in Thailand today to celebrate Moo Deng's first birthday, marking a happy milestone for the beloved hippo.

Footage shows the adorable creature munching on treats inside her enclosure alongside her mother, Jonah, at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi on July 10.

Delighted visitors watched as the pair enjoyed their special meal. She was later presented with a cake and her favourite black tub was auctioned.

Zoo Director Narongwit Chodchoi said that to mark the hippo's birthday, children can enter the zoo for free during 'Happy Deng Day', running from Thursday to Sunday.

Activities include a wildlife mascot parade, meet-and-greet sessions, and a live social media broadcast in collaboration with international zoos.

The celebration also featured an auction of Moo Deng's favourite basins and plaster 'footprints' to raise funds for the zoo's sustainable wildlife fostering programme.

A framed plaster cast of Moo Deng's footprint went up for bidding on July 8 with a starting price of 225 GBP, increasing in increments of 23 GBP. By July 9, the highest bid had already exceeded 1,150 GBP.

Her favourite bathing tub, regularly used for playing and cooling off, also went on auction starting at 113 GBP, with current bids topping 450 GBP.

All proceeds will go towards animal welfare programmes at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, supporting efforts to improve the quality of life for animals in their care.

Moo Deng is a one-year-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 Organisation 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 = 0.023 GBP)