Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park Zoo in Si Sa Ket has welcomed a new addition to its range of exotic animals -- a hippopotamus calf that was born at 6am on Sunday.
The gender of the calf has yet to be determined, because the mother has yet to allow veterinarians to come closer and inspect her newborn.
After the calf's birth was announced, the number of visitors to the park surged, with many hoping to catch a glimpse of the newly born hippopotamus.
The zoo's administrators hope the calf will attract more people to the zoo, like Moo Deng, the pygmy hippopotamus calf in Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri, which has become a worldwide social media sensation.
"We haven't named the calf yet, so we'd like to invite the public and tourists to join us in naming it," a source at the zoo said.
The zoo urges visitors not to toss food into the hippo enclosure, as hippos are herbivores. Guests who are keen to donate can leave food with the hippo's caregivers, the source added.
A young visitor who came to the zoo with his parents to see the calf said he was overjoyed when he saw the newborn hippo. He told the Post he was delighted to learn that the zoo in his hometown also has an adorable hippo calf, as he had never seen one before.
He hoped authorities will name the calf "Nong Moo Khrob".
Somdet Phra Srinagarindra Park Zoo is open every day from 8.30am to 4pm. The admission fee is 35 baht for adults, 10 baht for children. The zoo also houses many other animals such as monkeys, bears, crocodiles, deer, pheasants, ostriches and snakes.