Viral Pygmy Hippo Moo Deng Named One of New York Times’ Most Stylish People of 2024

To no one’s surprise, The New York Times named pygmy hippo Moo Deng one of the most stylish people of 2024. Moo Deng (“Bouncy Pork” in Thai) started going viral in September for her extremely high levels of cuteness and sass.

Since Moo Deng doesn’t wear clothes, other than maybe a leaf as a hat or a mud onesie, you might wonder how she was included on a style list. Well, fashion news editor Anthony Rotunno decided style goes beyond clothing, saying “Of course, style is subjective — not to mention a subject of heated discussion, which is partly why this group of people, characters and things made the list this year. Each made us look, think and talk about the clothes we wear, the ways we live or the approaches we take to personal style and self-expression.”

Moo Deng was the only animal stylish enough to make the list. Human winners included Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Demi Moore, Shohei Ohtani, and Charlie XCX.

For another highly regarded hippopotamus, check out Owen the Hippo and Mzee the Tortoise: A one-of-a-kind friendship.