Moo Deng, the dwarf hippopotamus at Khao Kheow Zoo, who caused a global sensation, will be 'sponsored' by Vitalik Buterin for the next 2 years.
Vitalik Buterin sponsors the hippopotamus Moo Deng
Vitalik Buterin, the founder of Ethereum, recently visited Khao Kheow Zoo in Thailand, dressed in a hippopotamus-patterned shirt. There, he met Moo Deng, the 5-month-old dwarf hippopotamus who has captivated many people.
Thank you Vitalik Buterin @VitalikButerin for joining the Wildlife Sponsorship Program and adopting Moo Deng with a generous gift of 10,000,000 THB for her family! We look forward to working with you over the next 2 years for the benefit of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo community & all… pic.twitter.com/Ykrr53Y2tZ
— สวนสัตว์เปิดเขาเขียว Khao Kheow Open Zoo (@KhaokheowZoo) December 26, 2024
Vitalik also donated 10 million Thai baht (approximately $292,230) to support the organization and will sponsor Moo Deng and her hippopotamus family for the next two years. The Khao Kheow management said the donation will be divided into two installments, with the first one expected to be completed on December 26, 2024.
Moo Deng, which means "jumping pig" in Thai, gained popularity due to short videos shared by zoo staff on social media, capturing her clumsy but adorable daily life.
Moo Deng not only created a sensation in the real world but also became the inspiration for memecoin projects of the same name on the Blockchain. The price of the MOODENG token on the Ethereum network has increased by 78% in the last 24 hours, corresponding to a market capitalization of over $87 million. Meanwhile, the native memecoin on Solana has decreased by 2.5% over the same period.
Recent 24-hour price movement of MOODENG (Ethereum), screenshot from CoinGecko at 02:00 PM on December 26, 2024
In recent years, projects have often proactively 'airdropped' tokens into the wallets of prominent figures in the industry, such as Vitalik Buterin. These tokens are not just gifts but also help increase the credibility of the project due to his reputation. However, Vitalik has always been straightforward in stating that he does not want to become a promotional tool, although he acknowledges the potential of memecoins. He has committed to selling any tokens sent to him to support charitable purposes.
True to his word, Vitalik has repeatedly 'cleared his memecoin stash' to sponsor animal welfare charities. The most recent instance was in early October, when he sold 10 billion MOODENG tokens and allocated 80% of the proceeds to the Kanro Charitable Foundation.
Vitalik Buterin's actions not only contribute to animal conservation but also enhance the connection between Blockchain technology and the real world.
Compiled by Coin68
