Vitalik Buterin donates 88 ETH to adopt Moo Deng at zoo
Vitalik Buterin, co-founder of Ethereum (CRYPTO:ETH), has adopted Moo Deng (CRYPTO:MOODENG), a pygmy hippopotamus at Thailand's Khao Kheow Open Zoo, with a generous donation of 88 ETH, valued at approximately $292,000.
The zoo announced the adoption on Dec. 26 through a post on X, expressing gratitude for Buterin’s involvement in the Wildlife Sponsorship Program.
The zoo said, "Thank you Vitalik Buterin for joining the Wildlife Sponsorship Program and adopting Moo Deng with a generous gift of 10,000,000 THB for her family!”
In response, Buterin expressed his commitment to supporting Moo Deng over the next two years.
“I’m happy to be adoptive father to Moo Deng as she grows up over the next 2y and support her with my 10M THB donation, maybe more as I set aside 88 ETH for [Moo Deng] + frens,” he stated.
Moo Deng became an internet sensation in September 2024, gaining popularity due to her charming personality and viral social media videos shared by the zoo.
Her popularity even led to the creation of a Solana-based memecoin named after her, which saw significant investment activity.
One trader turned $1,300 into $3.4 million from the Moo Deng (MOODENG) token, achieving a 2,554-fold return.
However, the token’s value dropped significantly, with a 58% decrease from its peak by November 2024.
Buterin’s donation is part of his continued charitable efforts within the crypto community.
Earlier, he had donated over $180,000 in ETH to the biotech charity Kanro, including funds in the form of Moo Deng-themed memecoins.
At the time of reporting, the Ethereum price was $3,362.39 and the Moo Deng (MOODENG) price was $0.2766.
Disclaimer: The content of this article solely reflects the author's opinion and does not represent the platform in any capacity. This article is not intended to serve as a reference for making investment decisions.
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