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.
If you happen to’ve been on Thai social media currently, you’ve most likely seen Moo Deng. This lovable little hippo grew to become an web sensation, with folks sharing movies of her playful swimming and cute antics. Buterin, who’s spent a number of time in Thailand for numerous Ethereum occasions, couldn’t assist however be charmed by her, too.
Recent off talking at Devcon SEA, Buterin did one thing utterly surprising. He donated a whopping 10 million baht (about $294,000) to the zoo’s Wildlife Sponsorship Program. However right here’s the perfect half — he didn’t simply write a test. He truly adopted Moo Deng, committing to help her care and habitat enhancements for the following two years.
I really like what he wrote to the zoo — it was actually touching. He talked about how adopting Moo Deng was his manner of giving again to Thailand, a rustic that had proven him a lot kindness throughout his visits. The donation was cut up into two elements, with the primary fee made on December 26, 2024. Because the information broke, the zoo has been full of guests hoping to catch a glimpse of…