science

Mae Mali

Mae Mali is a science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Mae Mali rather than just read about it. In short: Mae Mali (Thai: แม่มะลิ, pronounced [mɛ́ː.má.lí], lit. 'mother jasmine') is a female hippopotamus living in Thailand. She is believed to be the longest-living hippopotamus in captivity in the world.

Key takeaways

Mae Mali belongs to science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Mae Mali to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Mae Mali from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Mae Mali (Thai: แม่มะลิ, pronounced [mɛ́ː.má.lí], lit. 'mother jasmine') is a female hippopotamus living in Thailand. She is believed to be the longest-living hippopotamus in captivity in the world. Currently, she resides at Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, in the eastern Thailand.

Life Mae Mali was originally a favorite at Dusit Zoo (also known as Khao Din) in Bangkok before the zoo was relocated at the end of September 2018 to a new site in Pathum Thani. As a result, animals at the original location were transferred to various zoos across the country. Mae Mali was moved to Khao Kheow Open Zoo. Mae Mali was born on September 9, 1965, at Cologne Zoo in Germany. Shortly after her birth, she was moved to Dierenpark Tilburg in Tilburg, the Netherlands. On June 8, 1967, as part of an animal exchange program between Dusit Zoo and Dierenpark Tilburg, Mae Mali was officially transferred to Dusit Zoo. In return, Dusit Zoo sent a gibbon to the Netherlands. Since then, she had become one of the most iconic residents of Dusit Zoo. Her grandfather, Nauke, was born in the wild in Africa, and her grandmother, Aenne I, was also born in the African wild. Her father, Toni, was born at Cologne Zoo, while her mother, Aenne II, was born in the wild in Africa. Mae Mali had ten siblings: seven males and three females. She is well known as a female hippopotamus who gave birth to an impressive 14 offspring. Her first mate was named Tamil. Mae Mali has distinctive features compared to other hippopotamuses: her skin is darker, and she has a mole in the middle of her back. It has been a tradition every year, dating back to her time at Dusit Zoo, that the zoo celebrates Mae Mali's birthday. The celebration includes offering her special treats, such as extra vegetable and fruit. Mae Mali was cared for by a single dedicated keeper for over 30 years, until he retired in 2023, shortly after her 58th birthday.

Mae Mali's 14 offspring From her first mate, Tamil:

Torpedo – Male, born August 6, 1971; currently at Chiang Mai Zoo Wirachon – Male, born October 13, 1973; currently at Chiang Mai Zoo Maliwan – Female, born September 24, 1976; currently at Chiang Mai Zoo Karuna – Male, born September 22, 1978; currently at Khao Kheow Open Zoo Num – Male, born July 11, 1980; deceased Pranee – Female, born August 17, 1981; currently at Khao Kheow Open Zoo [Unnamed] – Female, born October 4, 1982; currently at Khao Kheow Open Zoo From her later mate(s):

Malai – Female, born July 31, 1984; currently in Malaysia Keng – Male, born June 4, 1986; currently at Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm and Zoo Kao – Male, born September 9, 1987; currently in Laos Nueng – Male, born October 1, 1989; currently at Khao Kheow Open Zoo Lek – Female, born November 9, 1993; currently at Khao Kheow Open Zoo Krathong – Male, born November 23, 1996; currently at Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo Mayom – Male, born August 9, 1999; currently at Khao Kheow Open Zoo

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Mae Mali

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Mae Mali claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Mae Mali before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Mae Mali ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Mae Mali

In research: Mae Mali appears in science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Mae Mali in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Mae Mali is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics 1965 animal births, Individual animals in Thailand, Individual hippopotamuses, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Mae Mali outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Mae Mali in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Mae Mali means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Mae Mali out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Mae Mali in simple terms?

Why does Mae Mali matter?

Because it connects several science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Mae Mali?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Mae Mali.