Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum, has donated 10 million Thai baht (about $300,000) to the Khao Kheow Open Zoo near Bangkok to help fund a new exhibit for Moo Deng, a five-month-old pygmy hippo. The donation will be used to upgrade the zoo’s operations and build a dedicated habitat for Moo Deng and her family.
In a post on X, Buterin shared that he had accepted an invitation to become Moo Deng’s “adoptive father” when she matures. He explained that the donation was a way to show appreciation for the hospitality he experienced during the Ethereum developer conference in Thailand in November. Buterin described the gift as a “Christmas present” for Moo Deng, who has become a beloved figure in Thailand and has unexpectedly gained global attention.
Moo Deng, which means “bouncy pork” in Thai, became an internet sensation earlier this year after her adorable photos went viral. She has two siblings: Moo Toon (“stewed pork”) and Moo Waan (“sweet pork”). Her fame also led to the creation of a memecoin, MOODENG, on the Solana blockchain. The token quickly soared, reaching a market cap of over $600 million in November after being listed on prominent exchanges such as Binance and Coinbase.
MOODENG made history as the first memecoin themed around an animal other than a dog or cat to achieve significant trading volume, earning the distinction of being Thailand’s first memecoin. However, the coin has since experienced a 60% decline in value, with Moo Deng’s popularity remaining largely centered in Thailand and surrounding markets.
