A Thai court fined a man 10,000 baht ($300) this week after he broke into the enclosure of Moo Deng, the endangered pygmy hippo who became an international social media sensation earlier this year. The incident occurred last month at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located roughly two hours outside of Bangkok.
Footage captured during the incident showed the man inside the animal's pen while recording the hippo with a tablet. Narongwit Chodchoy, the zoo’s director, confirmed the court’s guilty verdict to AFP.
Security upgrades at Khao Kheow
While the hippo was left unharmed, zoo officials reported that she was "slightly startled" by the intruder. Moo Deng, whose name translates to "bouncy pig," gained global fame after the zoo began sharing clips of her energetic antics online in July.
Chodchoy stated that the court’s decision sends a clear message regarding animal welfare. "It shows that no one can violate animals' rights, no matter whether they are in an enclosure or in the wild," he said.
The director acknowledged that the zoo is now re-evaluating its safety protocols to prevent future breaches. While staff are routinely trained for animal escape scenarios, they must now prepare for human intruders as well.
"We learned from this lesson and will not allow it to happen again—not to Moo Deng and not to other animals in the zoo," Chodchoy told reporters. In response to the breach, the facility has increased security patrols throughout the park.
The viral popularity of the pygmy hippo has caused a massive surge in attendance at the zoo. Thousands of visitors now flock to the facility each weekend, leading to the production of official merchandise and a significant increase in the zoo's public profile.
