Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippopotamus is among the “63 most elegant people of 2024”: it is not by making animals spectacular that they are protected

Moo Dengthe baby pygmy hippopotamus from Khao Kheow Zoo in Thailand, was included in the list of “63 most stylish people of 2024” drawn up by New York Times. The animal won the hearts of the public with its playful and affectionate behavior, becoming a viral star on social media.

This result, however, caused great surprise and much controversy, given that the list is traditionally reserved for celebrities and influential figures in the fashion world. A choice that was justified by the newspaper by arguing that style is not just an expression of fashion, but also an ability to capture the collective imagination.

For Moo Deng, this translated into bites and screams that won the hearts of millions. His charm even inspired Hoda Kotb, host of the Today Showto define it “the new sexiest It girl on the planet”.

The list of the most stylish people, released on December 5, 2024, includes celebrities such as Beyoncé, Zendaya, Adele and Daniel Craigbut also unusual figures such as Ellie, the elephant mascot of the New York Liberty basketball team, and even the Seine river in Parisrecently redeveloped to host swimmers during the Olympics.

What is this media circus for?

But let’s get back to our baby hippo. The “recognition”, if we want to call it that, is apparently tender and playful, but on closer inspection it can only raise critical reflections on exploitation of nature and on the ethics of zoos as places of entertainment.

As mentioned, since her birth Moo Deng has become a celebrity, attracting thousands of visitors and doubling the zoo’s revenue. The structure, aware of its popularity, has even installed a webcam to allow the public to observe the puppy at any time of the day.

This initiative helped make Moo Deng a viral phenomenon, but it also generated deplorable behaviors by visitors. Insensitive people have disturbed the puppy with cruel gestures, such as throwing water on her or throwing objects to wake her up, turning her into a captive star, a victim of her own fame.

A situation that highlights the commodification of nature and the spectacularization of fauna, reducing a wild animal to an object of cultural consumption. Zoos end up promoting activities that bring them closer to amusement parks.

In the case of Moo Deng, the transformation of the enclosure into a set for global streaming or the need to post signs to contain the audience highlight the contradictions of these structures. His fame, instead of raising awareness of the risk of extinction of pygmy hippos, has fueled a media circus that ignores the real needs of a vulnerable species.

The inclusion of Moo Deng in the list of New York Times it makes things even worse and should make us reflect on what it really means to celebrate a symbol of elegance. Elegance is not in exposing nature to the spotlight, but in respect and protect itthings far more precious than a popularity built at the expense of the dignity of a living being.