Zookeepers and guests gathered on 1 May 2023 to mark the 50th birthday of Mai Thai, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden’s oldest and most recognised elephant. Mai Thai and the rest of the Cincinnati herd wolfed down an elephant-sized cake and smashed through decorations that took the Zoo’s volunteer enrichment committee weeks to make.
So the party went pretty much as expected! When Mai Thai was younger and protocols for Zoo animals were much different than they are today. She marched on-stage for the Opera Aida and in the Cincinnati Reds Opening Day Parades and delivered the first pitch from the Reds pitching mound!
Now she has a more restful time in her current elephant habitat that was recently expanded and configured to allow more flexibility for the elephants to go out into their two yards day or night. They will have even more options, and five times more space, when they move to their new Elephant Trek habitat next year.
“Elephant Trek will be the ultimate environment for elephants. With naturalistic trees, mud wallows, grasses, pools, streams and other elements designed to give a multi-generational herd everything it needs to thrive,” said Cincinnati Zoo director Thane Maynard.
“It will be big enough to hold eight or nine elephants, including space for some potential new baby elephants!” Mai Thai is past her reproductive prime but would play a role in rearing any babies.