How does Moo Deng’s popularity shed light on the intersections of environmentalism, conservation, and the climate crisis?

Moo Deng, a newborn pygmy hippo from Khao Kaew Zoo in Thailand, has recently become an internet sensation. Her fame brings international attention to the rapid decline of the pygmy hippo population due to poaching, logging, mining, and habitat destruction. Use material from class (textbook, lecture, and supplemental readings) to connect the local issues impacting the pygmy hippos like Moo Deng to intersecting global issues such as climate change, tourism, international trade, the conservation movement, and global governance. How does Moo Deng’s popularity shed light on the intersections of environmentalism, conservation, and the climate crisis? Some possible resources (optional): https://theconversation.com/moo-deng-the-celebrated-hippos-real-home-has-disappeared-will-the-world-restore-it-241815 https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20240926-the-shrinking-habitat-of-the-worlds-tiniest-hippo https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/sep/27/baby-pygmy-hippo-moo-deng-hippopotamus-zoo https://www.thecrimson.com/article/2024/10/15/moo-deng-hippo-popular-culture/ https://apnews.com/article/moo-deng-baby-hippo-thailand-zoo-27485f0cbc70071252be45d870d507aa