bangkok — A man has been arrested after climbing into the enclosure of Moo Deng, the adorable pygmy hippo that caused a stir on social media, zoo officials said.
Khao Kho Open Zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi told The Associated Press that the Thai man entered the enclosure on Tuesday evening while the keeper was outside and there were no other visitors.
Security footage widely shared online shows a man wearing a black beanie, sunglasses, green tank top and brown shorts approaching Moo Deng and her mother Jonah while holding a tablet, apparently recording or taking photos.
The man was inside the enclosure for a minute or two before staff noticed him, Narongwit said, adding that he did not try to run away when the zoo called police.
Moo Deng rose to stardom shortly after his birth in 2024, largely thanks to a keeper who shared adorable pictures and videos of the baby hippo on social media. Since then, she has attracted huge crowds from Thailand and abroad who want to witness her charm in person and shoot photos and videos of her cute moments.
Narongwit said police initially charged the man with trespassing, but the investigation is still ongoing and the zoo intends to pursue all available legal action. Police did not identify the suspect.
Narongwit said the man has now been released on bail. He said that Moo Deng and Jonah were safe because they didn’t try to touch them.
In a statement posted on the zoo’s official Facebook page on Tuesday, it said both the animals were slightly startled by the encounter and will be closely monitored by veterinarians.
The zoo urged visitors to “strictly follow all rules and instructions from staff for their own safety and that of the wildlife.”
About 100 kilometers (60 miles) southeast of Bangkok, Khao Kho Open Zoo covers 800 hectares (about 2,000 acres) of land and is home to more than 2,000 animals.
(Tags to translate) Indictments(T)General News(T)Animals(T)Law Enforcement(T)World News(T)Article(T)131173900
