Moo Deng fan fined after jumping into hippo’s enclosure

9 Apr 2026 • 9:14 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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  • A man was captured on CCTV breaking into the enclosure of pygmy hippo Moo Deng and her mother at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand.
  • The man recorded the endangered animals with a tablet for approximately two minutes during the incident on 17 March.
  • Moo Deng, who became an internet sensation, and her mother were reported to be unharmed but “slightly startled” by the encounter.
  • The man was charged with trespassing and later released on bail.
  • He was subsequently found guilty by the Chonburi provincial court and fined 10,000 baht, which is around £233.

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