Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin has donated 10 million Thai Baht (~$300,000) to the Khao Kheow Zoo in Thailand, home to internet meme star Moo Deng, a pygmy hippo.

Thank you Vitalik Buterin @VitalikButerin for joining the Wildlife Sponsorship Program and adopting Moo Deng with a generous gift of 10,000,000 THB for her family! We look forward to working with you over the next 2 years for the benefit of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo community & all… pic.twitter.com/Ykrr53Y2tZ
— สวนสัตว์เปิดเขาเขียว Khao Kheow Open Zoo (@KhaokheowZoo) December 26, 2024

Buterin visited the Thai zoo in November, combining the trip with the Devcon SEA 2024 conference in Bangkok. During his visit, he fed the hippo, interacted with other animals, and took part in a photo session.

The recent donation will be used to expand exhibits and enhance the zoo’s facilities. In a post, the Khao Kheow administration shared a schematic of the planned improvements.

“I’m delighted to accept your invitation to become Moo Deng’s adoptive parent as she grows and to donate no less than 10 million Baht to the zoo,” Buterin wrote.

The Ethereum founder called his contribution a “Christmas gift for one of Thailand’s most unexpected and important celebrities.”

Previously, the programmer received over 60 billion Moodeng meme tokens from the community. In October, he sold around 21 billion tokens, donating part of the proceeds to charity.