Yangon Zoological Gardens put on a lavish party on Sunday to celebrate the 62nd birthday of Momo, their oldest elephant.
In the wild, Asian elephants can be expected to live up to about 60 years, but those in captivity usually die earlier.
To celebrate her longevity, Yangon’s favorite pachyderm was dressed in a sparkly outfit, watched the release of 62 birds and tucked into a feast of many bananas, Myanmar International reported.
“We treat her like a human,” Aye Hlaing, the zoo manager, said.
Momo was born in 1953 and was donated to the zoo eight years later.
She rose to fame thanks to her ‘music performances’. Yeah, she plays the harmonica, apparently, and moves her hips in time to the tunes.
Over the many decades she spent at the zoo, she has watched old friends pass away (R.I.P Aung Toe, Ma Toe, Moe Meit and Ma Yang Kot) and keepers retire.
In 1994 and 1996 she participated in grand parades held to celebrate the arrival of a Chinese Buddha tooth relic, according to the Myanmar Times.
She survived serious stomach illness in 1997 but her health is reportedly otherwise good.
Photo / Hua Xing Pin / Facebook
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