Thai baby hippo Moo Deng gets US$300,000 Christmas gift from Ethereum co-founder

BANGKOK: Moo Deng, the celebrity baby pygmy hippopotamus at a Thai zoo, has just received a huge Christmas present from one of the most influential figures in the crypto world.

Vitalik Buterin, the co-founder of the Ethereum blockchain platform, “adopted” the beloved Moo Deng through a generous donation of 10 million Thai baht (US$300,000) to the zoo she calls home, calling it the perfect way to show his gratitude to Thailand.

In a Facebook post on Dec 26, Chonburi province’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo thanked Buterin for joining its wildlife sponsorship programme, which allows participants to “adopt” an animal through donations, which go towards paying for their food, medication and general upkeep over a period of time.

The zoo also published a letter written by the multi-millionaire to its director.

Buterin said he was “deeply impressed” by the zoo’s commitment to animal welfare, education and outreach following his visit there in November, adding that he was excited to hear of its plans to improve the zoo.

He described his donation as a gesture of friendship to Thailand, following a series of events organised by the Ethereum community across the country in recent months, which culminated in the “great success” of the Devcon Sea conference for enthusiasts of blockchain in November.

“This could not have happened without the warmth and kindness of Thailand and our Thai organisers,” he said.

“What better way to do that than through a Christmas present to someone who is dear to all Thai people, Moo Deng, and who has become one of the most unexpected and important Thai celebrities on the world stage.

“More importantly, we want to support her family and friends, Kha Moo and the Gang, as well as her human family, everyone at Khao Kheow Open Zoo.”

The donation would be split into two equal payments, with the first being made on Dec 26, and the second to be announced at a later time.

Moo Deng has rocketed to internet stardom in 2024, drawing thousands of visitors to Khao Kheow Open Zoo.

The pygmy hippopotamus, whose name means “bouncing pig” in Thai, has millions of fans on social media following her clumsily charming adventures, including trying to nibble her handler despite still lacking teeth.

Russian-Canadian Vitalik Buterin, 30, is one of the biggest names in the crypto world. Ethereum, which he co-founded, is one of the most widely used blockchain platforms.

The decentralised, open source, community-operated system enables everything from non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to decentralised finance (DeFi), crypto real estate, Internet wallets, cloud storage and video games.

Buterin is also director of the Ethereum Foundation, a non-profit body dedicated to growing the Ethereum ecosystem.

The foundation has had a base in Singapore since 2016 and he has been visiting regularly. During the Covid-19 pandemic, he spent an eight-month stretch in Singapore from mid-2020. – The Straits Times/ANN