SENDAI - Mary walks leisurely around her enclosure, her large tusks prominent, before using her long trunk to deftly draw up a drink of water.
The female African elephant at Yagiyama Zoological Park in Sendai, northeastern Japan, is estimated to be 60 years old, making her the oldest African elephant in the country.
Her wrinkles have increased with age, but Mary remains in good health and still has a hearty appetite for her favorite fruit. Zoo staff have introduced a range of measures aimed at helping her live as comfortably as possible in her later years.
"She's the longest-living African elephant in Japan," keeper Shinya Takahashi told about 100 people, including many families with children, who gathered at the zoo on Sept. 27 for an event celebrating Mary turning an estimated 60, prompting admiring reactions from the crowd.
Mary, who measures about 3.8 meters long and 2.5 meters tall and is estimated to weigh 4 tons, was presented with melon, Muscat grapes, pears and peaches. She raised and lowered her trunk, appearing pleased with the treats.
Mary is believed to have been born in Africa in 1966. She initially lived at Miyazaki Safari Park in southwestern Japan after arriving in the country, before being transferred to Yagiyama Zoological Park in September 1983 following its closure.
Keepers describe her as calm and straightforward in temperament, and say she often plays by throwing sand over her body.
Because becoming unable to stand can be life-threatening, keepers and veterinarians check Mary's condition every day.
She also regularly practices raising and lowering her legs and holding her ears forward so she will be accustomed to the movements needed if she requires treatment such as injections.
"Mary, right foot," Takahashi called out during a check in July.
Mary responded by lifting her front right leg and holding it out toward him.
"It's a way of communicating with her while also checking her range of movement," said Takahashi, who has cared for elephants for about 30 years.
"You can't build that kind of relationship overnight. I've worked to make sure she recognizes my face and to build up trust over time."
Special attention is also paid to Mary's diet.
Elephants have four large teeth -- positioned on the upper and lower jaws on each side of the mouth, with ridged surfaces resembling a washboard -- and they are replaced five times during their lives.
Mary is believed to be using her final set, and her age has made it difficult for her to bite through long pieces of grass.
To reduce wear on her teeth, keepers use a cutting machine to chop fresh grass and straw into smaller pieces before feeding them to her.
They also mix supplements with bananas to help support the movement of her joints. With no supplements designed specifically for elephants, keepers tried different options before settling on a product made for horses.
Mary is sensitive to the cold, so during winter she spends more time in a heated indoor enclosure.
An afternoon feeding experience with Mary, offered on days when the zoo is open, has been a popular attraction for more than 15 years.
Atsuto Takahashi, an 8-year-old third-grade student from Yamagata city, waited 45 minutes on Sunday for his turn to feed Mary pieces of apple and carrot attached to a stick.
"She was really big, and her trunk felt soft," he said with a smile.
Sumie Sato, a section chief in the zoo's Care and Exhibition Division, said staff hoped to continue looking after Mary while paying close attention to her health.
"Mary has been loved by so many visitors and has been an important presence here," Sato said. "We want to keep caring for her while closely monitoring her health."
The zoo is also home to Lily, a female African elephant estimated to be 37 years old.
As of Sept. 16, African elephants were being kept at 13 zoos across Japan, including Yagiyama Zoological Park, according to the zoo and other sources.
