Trompita the Asian elephant celebrates 58th birthday at Guatemalan zoo
Guatemala City — Trompita the elephant, one of the most popular animals living at Guatemala City’s La Aurora Zoo, celebrated her 58th birthday on Sunday with a giant cake and other goodies.
Zoo workers and dozens of visitors sang “Happy Birthday†to the elephant, whose favorite food is peanuts.
Trompita’s birthday cake was made from carrots, papaya, watermelon, bananas and other tasty treats loved by the pachyderm.
Zoo visitors named the elephant after she was rescued from a Guatemalan circus in 2008.
The Asian elephant (Elephas maximus), originally named “Bombi,†was adopted and joined the zoo’s family.
Trompita, who eats an average of 181 kilos (400 pounds) of fruit and vegetables each day, has a life expectancy in captivity of about 70 years, while Asian elephants like her only live to about 60 in the wild.
La Aurora, located in the southern section of Guatemala City, was previously home to Mocosita, an elephant that was one of the park’s main attractions for years.
Mocosita, who arrived in Guatemala on March 30, 1957, from India, died after a long illness at the age of 56 on July 19, 2008.
Trompita is one of the most spoiled and beloved animals at the zoo.
Thousands of people go to the zoo to see the Asian elephant annually, with Sundays being the biggest days for visits.
Zookeepers feed Trompita, who loves to take dirt baths in the intense heat, nutritious foods designed to help her stay healthy.
The zoo said on its Facebook page that Trompita’s birthday celebration would last three hours, giving local and foreign visitors plenty of time to join in the festivities.
La Aurora Zoo opened in 1924 during the administration of President Jose Maria Orellana.
The zoological park has been managed by the Guatemalan Natural History Association (AHHN) since 1963.
In 2018, the AHHN opened the Reino Kan, an exhibit that is home to more than 430 reptiles, amphibians, spiders and insects, at La Aurora.
La Aurora Zoo is considered one of the best attractions of its kind in Central America and one of the top 15 zoos in Latin America.
