A pygmy hippo named Moo Deng has gone viral after predicting a win for Republican candidate Donald Trump in the 2024 U.S. presidential election, where he faces Democratic rival Kamala Harris. This “prediction” took place at Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo when Moo Deng was presented with two fruit cakes on November 5.
In the video, reportedly shot on Monday, zookeepers offered Moo Deng two watermelons, each labeled with the local spelling of the candidates’ names. Moo Deng chose the watermelon marked with Trump’s name, while a larger hippo in the enclosure went for the one marked for Harris.
The playful prediction has drawn widespread attention as recent national polls show Trump and Harris in a close race. On Monday, both candidates focused their campaigning on critical battleground states, including Pennsylvania and Michigan, viewed as crucial to their election bids. Other key states include Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, North Carolina, and Georgia.
As of Monday, the University of Florida’s Election Lab reported that over 78 million Americans had already cast their votes, either early or by mail, demonstrating strong engagement in this high-stakes election. To secure the presidency, either candidate will need to win at least 270 electoral college votes.