Large purple cows are a rarity anywhere, let alone in the heart of the Silicon Valley. Well, for inquiring minds, here’s the scoop (no pun intended — for those of you who’ve ever stepped into a barn):

The cow in question, affectionately known to us all as Yahoo! Moo Mail, grazes peacefully in the reception area of Building D on our bucolic Sunnyvale campus. But unlike other bovines, this one’s the world’s first Internet-connected cow. Yes, its bright yellow saddlebag sports a computer where Yahoo! guests can check email as well as browse the Web, scan the Farmer’s Almanac online, whatever.

For history buffs, Yahoo! Moo Mail came about as part of CowParade New York 2000. It was front and center in a herd of more than 500 life-sized cows dotted strategically across the city. These cows were created by artists and regular Joes (although we have to wonder just how “regular” someone who creates a life-sized cow in their living room really is…) as part of a unique public exhibit showcasing New York’s rich arts community. The event benefited New York’s arts community, school children, and public parks (OK, I stole those lines from a press release — busted!). Yahoo! Moo Mail was corralled at South Street Seaport all summer, where it was seen, browsed, and invariably climbed on by some 10 million people (and possibly a few love-struck cows?).

The 600-pound fiberglass Yahoo! Moo Mail has graced our Sunnyvale campus ever since, where it continues to delight guests and scare the living daylights out of more than a few small children. She did make a quick trip to Georgia in the summer of 2003 for CowParade Atlanta. (And yes, Yahoo! Moo Mail is an anatomically correct “cow girl.”)

A side note for die-hard trivia fans: Our beloved Yahoo! Moo Mail actually has a twin sister. The other old gal is rumored to be in the backyard of an unnamed Yahoo! employee, but no one’s talking.

L. Bennett Porter
Senior Buzz Director