Thai Hippo Moo Deng Predicts Argentina to Win World Cup

Moo Deng, a pygmy hippo from Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo, has weighed in on the upcoming World Cup final, predicting an Argentinian victory over Spain. The popular animal, who became an internet sensation in 2024, made her pick on Saturday by selecting a watermelon prepared by her keepers. The fruit was marked with the letters 'ARG' and adorned with the Argentinian flag. Narongwit Chodchoi, the zoo's director, stated that such activities are designed to entertain visitors while providing enrichment and exercise for the animal. He emphasized that these events do not encourage support for any specific team or participation in prohibited activities like gambling in Thailand. This is not Moo Deng's first foray into sports prognostication. Earlier in the week, she predicted a France-England final, a forecast that did not materialize. Her predictive abilities have also extended to politics, having previously forecast Donald Trump's win in the November 2024 US presidential election. Moo Deng, whose name translates to "Jumping Pig" in Thai, is a two-year-old pygmy hippo known for her adorable face and friendly demeanor. Her fame has led to the creation of social media emojis and a line of zoo-promoted merchandise. While the accuracy of animal predictions is questionable, Moo Deng follows in the footsteps of other famous forecasting animals, most notably the octopus Paul, who correctly predicted Spain's victory in the 2010 World Cup.

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The activity aims to entertain visitors, while also providing enrichment and exercise for the animal.