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    Moo Deng Is the Internet’s Favorite Pygmy Hippopotamus

    Moo Deng, whose name translates to “bouncy pork,” has united the internet while following a familiar path to stardom.Defiant, sassy, slippery, chubby, loves to scream. We can all relate.If you have yet to come across the internet’s favorite pygmy hippopotamus, then meet Moo Deng. She’s a bit of a diva.“The hottest, hottest new It girl on the planet,” Hoda Kotb, a co-anchor on the “Today” show, said during a recent episode. “She’s redefining beauty standards: She’s got chubby pink cheeks, a distinct potato shape.”Since Moo Deng’s public introduction by the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri, Thailand, south of Bangkok, on July 25, when she was 2 weeks old, her star has only risen.Her name, which translates to “bouncy pork,” was chosen by a poll held on the zoo’s Facebook page; around 20,000 people voted. There were three options: Moo Deng, Moo Sap (minced pork) and Moo Daeng (red pork). Moo Deng won easily.Yammi Saracino, a ceramacist and content creator born in Bangkok, has taken credit for the hippo’s initial international fame. When he saw the poll, he felt compelled to translate it into English so that a broader audience would find her.“The winner clearly was Moo Deng,” he said. “I think that partially had something to do with me, because I was like, ‘I’m voting for this name, so help me vote for this name.’”We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More

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    Mr. Greedy, an African Penguin With 230 Descendants, Dies at 33

    An African penguin who left many offspring in his long life, he belonged to the largest colony of the aquatic bird species in North America, according to the zoo.The popular African penguin known as Mr. Greedy, a fixture of the Maryland Zoo who had sired many offspring and left “an astounding 230 descendants” over five generations, has died after an age-related decline in his health, the zoo said in a statement.He was 33 — yes, in human years. (The zoo said it had no accurate way to determine the equivalent in penguin years.) He was the oldest penguin in his colony, which the zoo said is the largest in North America.When he was not busy reproducing or bringing joy to zoo visitors, Mr. Greedy swam hard, took care of his mate — nicknamed Ms. Greedy — and was constantly looking for things to steal.His mischievous ability to steal nesting materials and food from others had earned him the affectionate nickname by which he was known, Jen Kottyan, the bird curator at the zoo, said in a phone interview on Saturday.Mr. Greedy, born in 1991, had a more official, though less personable name: African penguin No. 821. The cause of death was euthanasia on Aug. 27, the zoo said.In his long life, Mr. Greedy “made a tremendous contribution to his endangered species,” said the statement from the Maryland Zoo, which is in Baltimore.We are having trouble retrieving the article content.Please enable JavaScript in your browser settings.Thank you for your patience while we verify access. If you are in Reader mode please exit and log into your Times account, or subscribe for all of The Times.Thank you for your patience while we verify access.Already a subscriber? Log in.Want all of The Times? Subscribe. More