Internet sensation

Oracle hippo recognizes clear winner in US election

(Bild: kameraone)

While the polls are predicting a close race in the US presidential election, a baby pygmy hippo from Thailand has already decided the winner: "Moo Deng", who has become an internet star, predicted that Republican Donald Trump will return to the White House in Tuesday's election.

In a video released by the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in eastern Thailand, the four-month-old animal can be seen being offered two bowls of sliced fruit, each with the name of one of the candidates written on it. "Moo Deng" opts for the bowl with the name Trump.

Mini hippo inspires enthusiasm on social media
With its cute appearance, the chubby dwarf hippo girl has taken the internet by storm, especially in the USA. "Moo Deng" is now an integral part of memes in online media and has inspired a whole range of merchandise articles.

The cute pygmy hippo enjoyed the fruit bowl with Trump's name on it.(Bild: kameraone)

On the TV show "Saturday Night Live", comedian Bowen Yang slipped into a hippopotamus costume and portrayed "Moo Deng" in a sketch. In an unofficial poll on the "Tonight Show" about the presidential election, the baby animal even beat the two main candidates Donald Trump and Kamala Harris, receiving 93 percent of the vote.

One of many contributions to the cute baby animal:

Close election outcome expected
Vice President Harris and former President Trump will face off in Tuesday's presidential election, the outcome of which is expected to have historic significance. Democrat Harris and Republican Trump have been running neck-and-neck in the polls for months, so the outcome of the election is expected to be extremely close.

Around the world, animals have repeatedly gained international fame as oracles for important events: Paul the octopus, for example, predicted the correct result for eight matches at the 2010 World Cup from his aquarium in Germany.