Just Askin’: The oldest animal in the Cincinnati Zoo is Gen X. Who’s the matriarch?

CINCINNATI (ENQUIRER) - The oldest animal in the Cincinnati Zoo is a Gen X-er.

Well, at least by humankind’s generational standards.

So who’s the matriarch of our local menagerie of 2,000 creatures?

The Enquirer’s Just Askin’ series aims to answer the questions that no one seems to have an answer for, not even Google.

Question: Who’s the oldest animal in the Cincinnati Zoo?

Answer: The oldest animal in the zoo is Mai Thai, who recently celebrated a birthday.

Mai Thai, the elephant, is the oldest creature at the Cincinnati Zoo. Photo provided:... — Mai Thai, the elephant, is the oldest creature at the Cincinnati Zoo. Photo provided: Cincinnati Zoo(Cincinnati Zoo)

Mai Thai, an Asian elephant, turned 50 on May 1. The median lifespan of female Asian elephants is about 47 years old.

As the zoo’s most elderly animal, she’s received a lot of recognition.

Over the course of her half-century, she’s marched onstage for the Opera Aida and in several Cincinnati Reds Opening Day parades. She also reportedly delivered the first pitch from the Reds pitching mound one time.

The Reds introduced a collectible bobblehead last year in her honor. Also in 2022, MadTree concocted a beer in her honor dubbed “Oh Mai.”

Don’t expect any zoo babies from Mai Thai in the near future. She’s past her reproductive prime, but elephants are known to help others in their herd care for their young.

Learn more about Mai Thai on the Cincinnati Zoo website.

This story was written by our media partners at The Cincinnati Enquirer.