Vitalik Buterin has announced his new identity as the new adoptive father of Moo Deng, the Pygmy hippopotamus that become an internet sensation.

Buterin donated 10 million Thai Baht to the Zoo's Wildlife Sponsorship Program, marking a significant contribution to the care and Welfare of the endangered species.

Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo made the announcement on X, saying

"Thank you Vitalik Buterin for joining Wildlife Sponsorship Program and adopting Moo Deng with a generous gift of 10,000,000 THB for her family."

Moo Deng rose to viral popularity in September 2024 because of her expressive personality and charming social media videos shared by the Thailand-based zoo.

In response, Buterin also expressed his excitement about adopting Moo Deng. Buterin also hinted that he might donate more than the current 88 Ether to the Zoo in his post.

In a letter to the zoo, Buterin also expressed his admiration for Moo Deng and the institution's efforts in conservation and education. The donation will fund enhancement to Moo Deng's enclosure, as well as broader zoo upgrades aimed at improving animal welfare, the zoo revealed.

Buterin framed his contribution as a token of gratitude to Thailand, which hosted Ethereum's Devcon conference earlier this year.

"What better way to say thank you than through a Christmas present to someone who is dear to all Thai people, Moo Deng, and who has become one of the most unexpected and important Thai celebrities on the world stage."

The rise and fall of Moo Deng

Following Moo Deng's rise in popularity, a new Solana-based memecoin was created after the internet sensation, with many investing in this new memecoin.

At the peak of Moo Deng's popularity, many investors have reaping tremendous earnings from this new memecoin. Back in September, a savvy investor posted on social media that he has achieved a remarkable 2,554-fold return on investment on the Moo Deng token, essentially turning $1,300 into $3.4 million.

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But the financial gains has also raised some eyebrows as some among the community have speculated that an insider or developer may have been involved.

But Moo Deng's popularity was short lived. Just like any other memecoin, as the excitement surrounding Moo Deng slowly waned, so did the price of the memecoin.

In mid November, the price of the Moo Deng memecoin dropped from its all-time high of $0.62 to $0.27, a drop of more than 58%. Moo Deng's fall from grace is also a stark reminder of the dangers and perils of memecoins, which could fluctuate in price over time.

Since the fall in the price of the Moo Deng memecoin, more than 99% of traders on the Solana's memecoin launchpad has lost money or made less than $1,000 worth of profit.

Out of the total 8.5 million wallets, only 50 have generated up to $1,00 worth of returns, while five wallets have generated between $1,000 and $10,000.

The data also shows that only one wallet managed to generate over $10,000 worth of profit on the memecoin launchpad.

A possible revival of the Moo Deng Memecoin

So could Buterin's donation be the miracle that the Moo Deng memecoin needs? Following Buterin's donation, the Moo Deng memecoin price jumped nearly 70% in an hour, supported by a massive 275% in trading volume, indicating a massive interest among traders.

What of future do you think holds for the Moo Deng memecoin. Do you think it could regain its former glory and popularity, or do you think it's just a dying trend?