A TRESPASSER has been arrested after climbing into the enclosure of the viral pygmy hippo Moo Deng at a Thai zoo.
Shocking security footage shows a man dressed in a black beanie, gold sunglasses, a green tank top and brown shorts leap over the barrier into the enclosure.
The man approaches the viral pygmy with a tablet after leaping into the enclosureCredit: Kennedy-Carr, Sasha
Footage shows the man holding his hand out to Moo as he continues filming
The intruder can be seen fleeing from Moo’s warning grunts
He can be seen approaching the Thai national treasure and her mother, Jona, holding a tablet and appears to be recording.
Moo appears to offer the unwelcome visitor a warning grunt before taking a challenging step toward him.
The man then flees the pen, jumping back over the barrier.
Zoo officials confirmed the incident involving the internet sensation.
The break-in lasted for about one minute before the man turned on his heels, officials said.
“The individual entered a restricted animal area,” the zoo said in a statement.
It would “pursue legal action without exception” and added that Moo Deng was unharmed but “slightly startled” by the incident.
Both Moo and her mother are now under veterinary observation as a result.
The Thai national reportedly snuck into the enclosure at Khao Kheow Open Zoo, about 62 miles south of Bangkok, on Tuesday while a keeper was busy and no one was around.
Staff at the zoo had been alerted to the incident and were waiting for the man as he attempted his escape from Moo’s enclosure.
The man did not attempt to leave the zoo as staff called police, zoo director Narongwit Chodchoy said.
The Khao Kheow Open Zoo, which is about 60 miles south-east of Bangkok, sits on almost 2,000 acres of land and is home to more than 2,000 animals.
The zoo also urged visitors to “strictly follow all rules and instructions from staff for the safety of both themselves and the wildlife”.
Moo Deng, whose name means “bouncing pig” in Thai, rose to fame thanks to her playful, clumsy antics.
Just weeks after she was born at Thailand’s Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha, her zookeeper Atthapon Nundee began sharing her playful antics online.
She quickly became a viral sensation, inspiring memes, fan art, merchandise and even songs.
Cops have initially charged the man with trespassing, although the investigation continues.
The suspect, who has since been released on bail, was not identified.
