The day Vitalik Buterin determined to undertake a child hippo began like another December morning. Who would’ve thought that the co-founder of Ethereum would find yourself falling for a tiny pygmy hippo named Moo Deng at a Thai zoo? However that’s precisely what occurred on the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Thailand.
For those who’ve been on Thai social media recently, you’ve in all probability seen Moo Deng. This lovely little hippo grew to become an web sensation, with folks sharing movies of her playful swimming and cute antics. Buterin, who’s spent lots of time in Thailand for varied Ethereum occasions, couldn’t assist however be charmed by her, too.
Recent off talking at Devcon SEA, Buterin did one thing fully sudden. He donated a whopping 10 million baht (about $294,000) to the zoo’s Wildlife Sponsorship Program. However right here’s the very best half — he didn’t simply write a examine. He truly adopted Moo Deng, committing to assist her care and habitat enhancements for the following two years.
I like what he wrote to the zoo — it was actually touching. He talked about how adopting Moo Deng was his approach of giving again to Thailand, a rustic that had proven him a lot kindness throughout his visits. The donation was break up into two components, with the primary fee made on December 26, 2024. For the reason that information broke, the zoo has been filled with guests hoping to catch a glimpse of…
