Why did hippo Moo Deng and tiger Nong Ava become idols in one step?

Moo Deng pygmy hippo (Thailand), Pesto penguin (Australia) or Fubao panda (China). are "star" animals that create a wave of zoo tourism , bringing in "huge" revenue.

Pygmy hippo Moo Deng (meaning "fat pig" in Thai) suddenly became famous worldwide thanks to his small, cute appearance and funny actions.

Pygmy hippo Moo Deng is cared for at Khao Kheow Zoo, Thailand. (Photo: Khao Kheow Open Zoo/X).

According to Bangkok Post, during just two days of the October 12-13 holiday, more than 30,000 tourists flocked to Khao Kheow Zoo in Chon Buri (Thailand) - Moo Deng's home - to see their "idol" with their own eyes.

Many people said they were willing to wake up early, travel long distances and endure traffic jams for kilometers just to see the famous pygmy hippo playing, eating or simply sleeping.

"Moo Deng playfully snatched the water hose from the caretaker. This action attracted everyone's attention. Viewers love young animals, seeing how they curiously explore the human world with a fearless spirit , " said Joshua Paul Dale, a professor of cultural studies at Chuo University (Tokyo), explaining the "Moo Deng fever".

Fubao panda is known as the "top" of the Panda world because of its international popularity. (Photo: @motjzaf tran).

Similarly, the panda FuBao (Phuc Bao) born in 2020 in Korea is also known as a "top stream" (a character that receives special attention) in the animal world when attracting millions of tourists to Everland amusement park.

Since Fu Bao opened to the public on April 1, 2021, about 5.5 million visitors have visited Panda World at Everland to meet the animal. Not to mention, related services and products such as panda souvenirs have also contributed to increasing revenue and diversifying the experience for visitors.

Tiger Ava's silly, kitten-like expressions are driving Thai and international netizens "crazy". (Photo: ChiangMai Night Safari).

Or most recently, a tiger cub named Nong Ava at Chiang Mai Night Zoo (Thailand) also "became a star overnight" on social media because of the images of her single eyelids and sleepy, absent-minded face. Immediately, many netizens rushed to the zoo to meet the new "idol" in the animal world.

According to National Geographic , people are always easily attracted to cute animals. That interest gradually goes beyond the pictures and videos on social networks, motivating people to meet and interact with them in real life. Thanks to that, parks and zoos have become famous destinations, attracting tourists and visitors.

"We are addicted to small, cute things because it feels good to look at them," says Professor Joshua Paul Dale .

He analyzed the human brain's attraction to cuteness very quickly by activating the orbitofrontal cortex , the brain's reward and pleasure system.

This activity takes only 1/7 of a second. This activation is followed by slower appraisal processes, which in turn stimulate caring behavior, activate other areas of the brain, and produce compassion.

A baby panda takes a nap at the zoo as an amused audience looks on. People tend to protect species that are considered cuter than others. (Photo: Ami Vitale/Nationalgeographic).

In a groundbreaking study published in 1943, Austrian zoologist Konrad Lorenz identified "newborn" features that are often attractive to humans , such as large heads relative to their bodies, large eyes, chubby cheeks, short, chubby limbs, and wobbly movements.

According to scientists, these characteristics are not only present in humans but also in other young animals.

Meanwhile, according to Kamilla Knutsen Steinnes, a behavioral scientist at the University of Oslomet (Oslo, Norway) , there is no scientific definition that encapsulates the full range of emotions that arise when people see cuteness. This is probably due to the limitations imposed by language.

"In fact, there is little research on emotional responses to cuteness, perhaps because there is no specific term to describe it," she wrote in a 2019 study. " Cuteness can make us feel kama muta (specially moved), compassion, tenderness, empathy, love."

Dale and Steinnes both believe that the human emotional response to cuteness comes not only from concern but also triggers a desire to protect and shelter.