With just one day until the highly anticipated Election Day, the internet sensation and beloved pygmy hippo Moo Deng has made headlines again by predicting the winner of the 2024 US presidential election. The adorable hippo, who has captured hearts worldwide, chose between two specially carved fruit cakes at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand, to determine her forecast.
In a video recorded on November 4, zookeepers presented Moo Deng with two watermelons—one adorned with the name of Republican nominee Donald Trump and the other with the name of Democratic Vice President Kamala Harris. Moo Deng confidently munched on the watermelon carved with Trump’s name, while her larger penmate feasted on the one representing Harris.
Despite her cute prediction, Moo Deng, just three months old, is not an American citizen and thus cannot cast a vote. However, her prediction comes amid a competitive election atmosphere, with national polls showing both candidates are neck-and-neck. According to the latest data from FiveThirtyEight, Harris holds a narrow one-point lead over Trump. Early voting has seen nearly 75 million ballots cast, with 55 percent coming from women, who predominantly support Harris.
Democratic supporters have shown some caution following an unexpected Selzer poll conducted for the Des Moines Register, which indicated that Harris is leading Trump in Iowa, a critical swing state. On the campaign trail, Harris is scheduled to appear at a rally in Philadelphia, joined by celebrities like Lady Gaga, Oprah Winfrey, and Ricky Martin. Trump, too, is making his presence felt in Pennsylvania, a state that offers 19 of the 270 Electoral College votes necessary for a candidate to secure the presidency.
While Moo Deng’s prediction may not carry any real weight in the political arena, it has not diminished her popularity. The charming baby hippo has gone viral after zookeeper Atthapon Nundee shared clips of her playful antics, from bathing to napping.
Born nearly four months ago, Moo Deng’s name translates to “bouncy pork.” She is the seventh baby born at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo to her 25-year-old mother, Jona, and 24-year-old father, Tony. As Moo Deng enjoys her newfound fame, the world eagerly anticipates the outcome of the election, with or without the hippo’s insightful cake-based predictions.
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