Manila mulls taxidermy for elephant Mali

FILE PHOTO: Mali the elephant in Manila Zoo. JOAN BONDOC/INQUIRER

MABALACAT, Pampanga — The Manila City government is looking to preserve the body of Mali, the country’s only elephant who died Tuesday, November 28.

Mayor Honey Lacuna suggested taxidermy for Mali so she could be displayed in a museum.

“You all know that Mali is our prized possession. She was one of our star attractions in Manila Zoo,” Lacuna said in a mix of Filipino and English during a press briefing on Wednesday.

“We are starting to have talks with experts on how to preserve Mali and put it in our museum here,” she added.

Mali died on Tuesday afternoon, according to Manila Zoo’s chief veterinarian Dr. Heinrich Patrick Peña-Domingo.

Peña-Domingo said Mali could have died of heart failure.