And the official name of the newborn hippo in Si Sa Ket is…
The newborn hippo at Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park Zoo in Si Sa Ket province will be called "Nong Hom Daeng", which emerged as the top choice in a public voting exercise that ended at midnight on Thursday.
The zoo will be making an official announcement soon.
The hippo, born on October 13, 2024, at around 6.30am, has already attracted considerable attention, becoming a pet celebrity and drawing thousands of tourists to the zoo.
The atmosphere at the zoo remains vibrant, with visitors keen to meet the female calf, the first offspring of parents “Mae Gedsirin” and “Somsri”.
In a creative initiative, the zoo invited the public to vote for the calf's name from five options: Lamduan, Nong Sriket, Nong Sao Sri, Nong Hom Daeng (Shallot), and Moo Kratiam (Pork Garlic).
Wira Kaiyaraj, the director-general of the zoo, said that a press conference will be held to formally unveil the name of the hippo, during which there will be lucky draws for prizes.
The top three voters will each receive a special prize bag, and a total of 150 prizes, including Hippo Sisaket shirts, will be awarded. Winners can collect their prizes at Somdet Phra Srinakarin Park or receive them by post by March 13, 2025.
Wira noted that interest in the zoo had surged since the hippo's birth, with daily visitor numbers increasing significantly. Before the hippo's arrival, the zoo typically saw 70 to 80 visitors per day; now that figure has soared to between 2,000 and 4,000, especially during peak holiday periods.
On Friday, the zoo will hold a meeting with local authorities to discuss ongoing tourism promotion strategies.
