Pygmy hippo Moo Deng among NY Times’ Most Stylish People of 2024

Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, has been included in the list of “63 Most Stylish People of 2024” published by the New York Times website on Thursday.

“Style manifested in many forms over the last 12 months, as well as in many places: on the campaign trail and red carpets, at stadiums and zoos,” the NYT’s Styles Desk said.

“The 63 names on this list, which are arranged in no particular order, emerged as those that may come to mind when asked to picture 2024.”

The NYT said of Moo Deng, “She bit. She screamed. She conquered hearts the world over,” before linking to one of its articles titled “A Pygmy Hippo Is Stealing Hearts (and Biting Zookeepers)”.

Moo Deng has united the internet while following a familiar path to stardom, the article said.

It quoted Hoda Kotb, a co-anchor on the “Today” show, as saying that Moo Deng is “the hottest, hottest new It girl on the planet. She’s redefining beauty standards: She’s got chubby pink cheeks, [and] a distinct potato shape.”

Moo Deng’s public introduction was made by the zoo on July 25 this year, when she was two weeks old.

Her name, which translates to “bouncy pork”, was chosen by a poll held on the zoo’s Facebook page; around 20,000 people voted.

Atthapon Nundee, Moo Deng’s keeper at the zoo, began sharing content about the pygmy hippo on social media immediately. “I think I am close with her to the point I can share lovely day-to-day activities,” he said in an email to The New York Times. “Most people like that and watching her grow up.”

Other celebrities on the list of most stylish people this year include English actor Daniel Craig, who plays James Bond, South Korean professional shooter Kim Ye-ji, Japanese baseball player Shohei Ohtani, and singer Beyoncé.

Non-humans on the list, besides Moo Deng, include Ellie the Elephant, a mascot of the New York Liberty Women’s National Basketball Association team, and the Seine River in Paris.