A two-month-old baby pygmy hippo in Thailand is paying the price for her viral fame on the internet. Moo-Deng has millions of fans around the world and can’t leave her enclosure at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo without being caught by hundreds of cameras. However, the famous baby hippo is being harassed by some fans who have started throwing objects at her to get her attention.

Moo-Deng became an internet sensation and a popular meme after her photos went viral on social media.

“When I saw Moo-Deng’s birth, I set a goal to make her famous, but I never expected that the word would spread abroad. I thought she could become famous in Thailand, but not internationally,” zookeeper Atthapon Nundee told The Guardian.

But Moo-Deng has indeed become famous at home and abroad. Videos of the baby pygmy hippo have been viewed millions of times on social media platforms such as X, Facebook and Instagram. According to the BBC, the number of visitors to her zoo near the city of Pattaya has doubled since her birth in July.

Moo-Deng is bullied

But not all visitors treat Moo-Deng properly.

Videos have surfaced online showing visitors to the Khao Kheow Open Zoo throwing objects at Moo-Deng to get her attention. One tourist even poured water on the baby hippo to wake it up.

The zoo has threatened legal action against visitors who mistreat its celebrity resident.

“This behavior is not only cruel but also dangerous,” zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi said in a statement posted online. “We must protect these animals and ensure they have a safe and comfortable environment.”

He said the best time to visit Moo-Deng is when she is awake, possibly a reference to a video where people splash water on the hippo to wake it up.

The zoo has since taken additional security measures around Moo-Deng’s enclosure, installed video surveillance cameras and threatened legal action against those who mistreat the baby hippo.