It’s hard to avoid the charm of 3-month-old baby hippo Moo Deng. In just a week, Moo Deng attracted millions of fans on social media. Her name, meaning “bouncing pig” in Thai, is as delightful as her presence at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, located about two hours from Bangkok in eastern Thailand.

Moo Deng’s endearing clumsiness and her playful attempts to nibble at her handler (despite lacking teeth) have captivated audiences worldwide. Her rise to viral fame even inspired a comedic sketch on “Saturday Night Live” and sparked a beauty trend mimicking her radiant glow. For many online, the endless memes featuring Moo Deng have become hard to miss.

She’s not alone in her notoriety; last month, a large penguin chick named Pesto captured public attention from the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium in Australia. The Cincinnati Zoo is also famous for its hippo siblings, Fiona and Fritz. The question arises: why do these animals grab our attention and become viral sensations? The answer lies in psychology.

What Makes Us Adore Baby Animals?

Moo Deng’s adorable looks are reminiscent of a human baby, featuring plush cheeks, large eyes, and a round body. These endearing traits evoke a nurturing response in us, a behavior scientists believe has evolved to ensure human survival.

Psychologist Jay Van Bavel from New York University emphasized the evolutionary purpose behind the cute features of infants. He stated, “The big eyes and soft cheeks prompt people to be kinder and more caring toward babies,” highlighting the innate drive to nurture.

This idea is known as the baby schema. Introduced in 1943 by Austrian ethologist Konrad Lorenz, it describes the features considered cute in infants—such as large heads, round faces, and big eyes—that encourage adult caregiving.

Research from Morten Kringelbach, a neuroscience professor at the University of Oxford, explores how “cute” images affect our brains and behavior. He stated that viewing cute images, whether of human children or baby animals, activates emotional and pleasure-related areas in the brain, influencing our focus and attention.

David Barash, an emeritus psychology professor and evolutionary biologist at the University of Washington, explained to YSL News that many mammals develop a tendency to be gentle towards younger mammals exhibiting baby schema traits.

“The baby schema encompasses physical appearance and behavior, such as the wobbly walk of juvenile animals. Whether it’s a small child learning to walk or a young animal, we find these movements adorable.”

What Caused the Viral Surge of Baby Moo Deng?

Interest in Moo Deng surged on Google in late September, particularly after a sketch featuring her on “SNL’s” Weekend Update with cast member Bowen Yang. However, even before the skit, Moo Deng had begun capturing public fascination.

Her popularity is largely thanks to a TikTok account that boasts over 3.2 million followers, dedicated to sharing videos of her and other animals at Khao Kheow Open Zoo. A particular TikTok video of Moo Deng has amassed 35.5 million views.

The impact of her fame is evident at the zoo; Narungwit Chodchoy, the zoo’s director, shared that they typically receive around 800 visitors daily during the rainy season—a slower time for attendance. After Moo Deng gained attention, the numbers skyrocketed to between 3,000 and 4,000 daily visitors on weekdays, and nearly 20,000 over weekends, many of whom came specifically to see Moo Deng.

Bavel informed YSL News that figuring out what content is fascinating or surprising can help predict its online popularity.

“This adorable baby hippo is quite attractive, and many people haven’t had the chance to see a baby hippo before. There’s an inherent element of surprise and allure that encourages sharing,” said Bavel. He noted that information that elicits emotions is more likely to capture our attention and be shared. “Everything is unfolding in an economy of attention,” Bavel explained.

According to Bavel, when an item of information, meme, or image spreads widely, it becomes a point of reference for others to discuss, leading individuals to participate even if they aren’t particularly interested, simply because everyone else is doing so.

Zoo animals foster connections in tough times

Zoo animals have been in the limelight before. In 2017, the Cincinnati Zoo welcomed Fiona the hippo, who was born six weeks early and faced significant survival challenges. The zoo regularly updated her story online, garnering support from people who cheered for her recovery.

Fiona has been voted “Best Cincinnatian” six out of the last seven years, with Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow coming in second in 2024.

Angela Hatke, communications manager at the Cincinnati Zoo, shared with YSL News that animal livestreams helped foster community connections during the COVID-19 lockdown. The zoo hosted near-daily live videos showcasing various animals, which Hatke described as “home safaris,” allowing people to learn about the animals while the zoo was closed to the public.

During the pandemic, the Smithsonian National Zoo in Washington welcomed a baby giant panda named Xiao Qi Ji. His birth was streamed live on the zoo’s giant panda cam, attracting millions of virtual visitors eager to watch him grow.

In November 2023, Xiao Qi Ji and his parents returned to China as part of a three-year partnership with the China Wildlife Conservation. However, the zoo’s panda cam won’t be offline for long, as they have recently introduced a two-year-old male panda named Bao Li and a two-year-old female panda named Qing Bao.