BANGKOK: Fame comes at a price for baby hippo Moo Deng as her zoo in Thailand limits her public interaction, after she was harassed by visitors.
Visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province are allowed to see the female dwarf hippopotamus Moo Deng only on weekends and for five minutes per viewing, the facility announced on its social media sites on Sept 15.
Group size will be capped at between 30 and 50 people at a time to manage the crowds, Bangkok Post reported.
The English broadsheet also reported that the zoo will launch a 24-hour livestream of the two-month-old hippo.
Moo Deng, whose name means “bouncing pig” in Thai, is the country’s latest internet sensation and has millions of fans on social media who avidly followed her every adventure since her public debut on July 25.
As a result, the zoo has been seeing huge crowds – about 3,500 people on weekdays and up to 20,000 visitors over the weekend, said zoo director Narungwit Chodchoy.
With fame also comes reports of mistreatment of the hippo from some tourists, with some throwing objects and pouring water at a sleeping Moo Deng.
The zoo has installed CCTV cameras to ensure Moo Deng’s safety and Mr Narungwit has vowed to take legal action. - The Straits Times/ANN
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