Gobbling up a celebratory bouquet: Okinawa Zoo & Museum celebrates its oldest animals on Respect for the Aged Day

Gobbling up a celebratory bouquet: Okinawa Zoo & Museum celebrates its oldest animals on Respect for the Aged Day

Maru, a Jeju horse, enjoying her bouquet of hibiscus and other plants, with her keeper, Haruka Shimada. (September 21, Okinawa Zoo & Museum in Okinawa City)


October 5, 2020 Ryukyu Shimpo
By Takahiro Kina

Okinawa – On Respect for the Aged Day, September 21, the Okinawa Zoo & Museum celebrated the longevity of its oldest animals. Individual celebrations were held in front of the enclosures of eight animals of seven different species, including Momoe, a 43-year old hippopotamus and the zoo’s oldest animal.

Jeju horses Maru (female) and Wally (male) are turning 24. In human years, the horses are in their eighties. Their keeper, Haruka Shimada, created a bouquet of nutritious plants including longevity grass (chomeiso), shell ginger, and hibiscus for them. The two horses seemed to thoroughly enjoy every last leaf. Maru’s coat was brown when she was young, but has now turned dapple-grey. Even so, she has a healthy appetite and loves to run.

Haruna Sunagawa, who is three years old, visited the zoo with her family and celebrated the aging animals. She says, “The horses were eating leaves and it looked yummy. I hope they live a long time.”

A video of the celebration for Suguru, a 42-year old male chimpanzee, can be viewed online. https://youtu.be/JzH7aHj-MAk

(English translation by T&CT and Ellen Huntley)

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