STILL A KID AT HEART

She has lived in the zoo for four decades now, her enclosure defined by its concrete floor and walls painted with trees. Keepers give her balls and tires to play with, while running water is available at her own disposal.

Tasiong, who has been Mali’s keeper since 1990, said Mali has always been a happy elephant and remains a kid at heart.

“Mula nung bata pa siya, may kakulitan talaga si Mali. (Since she was young, she’s always had a naughty streak),” Tasiong said. “Noon, gusto ko na sana sumuko. Nag-iipon ako ng dumi tapos [binangga] niya ako minsan. Pinagtiyagaan ko at nasanay na rin ako. (In the past, I wanted to give up. I was collecting her poop, then she deliberately bumped into me. I persevered until I got used to it.)”

Tasiong said almost all zoo keepers visit Mali and play with her every day. Even though she’s the only elephant in the zoo, her keepers want to make sure she gets the companionship she need.

Besides playing with the zoo crew, Mali loves to interact with her visitors by letting them feed her. She consumes a lot of food in a day, including grass, plants, fruits, and vegetables.

“Medyo matanda na si Mali, so ang binibigay na lang namin (Mali is getting old, so what we give her are) grass, fruits, camote or bread,” said Manila Zoo veterinarian Dr. Joseph Pedron.

Mali’s favorite? Mangoes!