Bandung, Indonesia Sentinel — In the midst of the tense 2024 U.S. presidential election, a viral sensation from Thailand, baby hippopotamus Moo Deng has captured the spotlight with an unusual prediction. The four-month-old hippo has made headlines by ‘predicting’ the outcome of the closely watched race between former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris.
According to AFP, Moo Deng predicted the presidential election outcome on November 5, 2024. Zookeepers at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo set up two plates of fruit, each marked with the names of the presidential candidates in Thai script: Donald Trump and Kamala Harris. In a moment that delighted both onlookers and the zoo’s caretakers, Moo Deng chose the plate bearing Trump’s name.
The moment was recorded and shared widely by the zoo, quickly going viral and igniting discussions in both Asia and the U.S. Making this baby hippo gain more attention online.
Moo Deng’s fame extends beyond Thailand, having charmed audiences in America and inspired a variety of memes and playful merchandise sold globally. The hippo’s initial rise to stardom was fueled by its adorable antics that captivated social media users, turning the young animal into an internet darling.
So popular is Moo Deng that in an informal presidential poll conducted by The Tonight Show, the hippo outshone the actual candidates, securing an impressive 93% of the audience’s support. The hippo’s influence has even reached Saturday Night Live, where a skit featuring Moo Deng was performed by comedian Bowen Yang, further solidifying the animal’s place in pop culture.
From Zoo to Viral Fame: Moo Deng the Hippo Captures Hearts Around the World
Now, with the baby hippo stepping into the role of ‘election prophet’. Even though Moo Deng’s predictive abilities remain largely unproven compared to famous animal oracles of the past, such as Paul the Octopus.
Paul became a global sensation for correctly predicting the outcomes of all eight matches he was tasked with during the 2010 FIFA World Cup. However, while Moo Deng’s playful pick has generated buzz, it remains to be seen whether the hippo’s ‘prediction’ will carry any weight compared to the legacy of past animal prognosticators.
As Americans and the world await the official results of the November 5 election, Moo Deng lighthearted prediction adds an entertaining and viral twist to a high-stakes political event.
(Raidi/Agung)
