Visitors faced queues stretching more than 3km as fans flocked to catch a glimpse of the animal celebrity. - PHOTOS: FACEBOOK/KHAO KHEOW OPEN ZOO, AFP
BANGKOK (The Nation Thailand/ANN): The popularity of Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus, has led to severe traffic congestion at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province.
On Oct 12, visitors faced queues stretching more than 3km as fans flocked to catch a glimpse of the social-media sensation.
The zoo experienced an unprecedented influx of visitors during the long holiday weekend, with many schools closed.
The area surrounding the pygmy hippo enclosure was particularly crowded, despite measures to limit viewing sessions to five-minute intervals to ensure visitor safety and prevent overcrowding.
One visitor, Ms Ellene, reported travelling from Don Mueang for an hour and a half, only to spend an additional 40 minutes queuing to enter the zoo.
She said: “Moo Deng is truly as cute and bouncy as her name suggests. The crowds are likely due to the school holidays and the long weekend.”
Moo Deng, a female, was born on July 10 to 25-year-old mother Jona and 24-year-old father Tony. She is the younger sibling of another hippo celebrity at the zoo.
The zoo offers other attractions, including a parade of more than 40 Humboldt penguins and a performance by Plai Khao Kheow, a well-known elephant demonstrating swimming and exercise routines visible through large glass panels.
Visitors can also feed giraffes, antelopes and white rhinos, and observe a capybara family. The night-time offering, Khao Kheow Night Zoo, provides a unique perspective on nocturnal animal behaviour.
The surge in visitors highlights the growing trend of animal celebrities on social media and their impact on local tourism.
Zoo officials are working to manage the increased foot traffic while ensuring the well-being of both animals and visitors. - THE NATION THAILAND/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
