Khao Kheow Open Zoo held a lively and warm celebration for the 61st birthday of “Mae Mali,” Thailand's longest-living hippopotamus. Fans and tourists joined in singing birthday songs and presenting a special giant fruit cake.
At 09:30 on 8 Sep 2026 at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Si Racha District, Chonburi Province, Mr. Narongwit Chodchoi, director of Khao Kheow Open Zoo, together with executives, staff, tourists, and fans, organized a birthday celebration for the 61-year-old hippopotamus. “Mae Mali” The female hippopotamus, beloved by the public and recognized as the longest-living hippopotamus in Thailand.
The event was filled with happiness and smiles. The highlight was presenting a giant fruit cake featuring Mae Mali's favorites, such as watermelon, dragon fruit, apple, papaya, banana, sweet potato, grape, carrot, and fresh grass. As soon as Mae Mali emerged from the pond, she slowly began eating the fruit cake, befitting her age, amid birthday songs and applause from attendees.
On this occasion, Ms. Kimberly Kasiapath and Ms. Mutitta Charoenpot (Khun Song) donated 10,000 baht through the Wildlife Patronage Program to sponsor the birthday cake and support Mae Mali's healthcare. The event also featured educational activities like an exhibition on Mae Mali’s life history, a message-writing activity, and prize-winning games.
Regarding Mae Mali’s history, she was received from Tilburg Zoo in the Netherlands on 8 June 1967 at the age of one. She was initially cared for at Dusit Zoo (Khao Din Wana) before moving to Khao Kheow Open Zoo on 18 December 2018. Over more than six decades, Mae Mali has given birth to 14 calves. She remains in good health, receiving close care from veterinarians and keepers, and is a contender for becoming the longest-living hippopotamus in the world in the future.
