YANGON, Oct. 27 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar's Yangon Zoological Gardens came alive with a festive atmosphere on Sunday as crowds gathered to celebrate the 72nd birthday of Momo, the beloved female elephant who has been a cherished resident of the zoo for decades.

Momo was beautifully adorned with a decorative cloth for the occasion, standing gracefully as children wearing elephant-shaped headbands and adults sang the "Happy Birthday" song to her.

After the song, she stepped forward and used her trunk to cut a giant fruit cake made of bananas, sugarcane, cucumbers and watermelon. Her three elephant companions later joined her to share the feast.

"I sent my two children to the zoo on their school holiday so they could see how Momo's birthday is celebrated," said Zin Mar, a visitor to the zoo.

"I love elephants and always feed them when I visit. Celebrating Momo's birthday makes me feel emotional and it shows how much people value and love animals," she said.

"I brought my daughter here for her birthday," said Theingyi Myint, another visitor. "Momo was already at the zoo when I was a child. Now that she's old and can't move as fast as before, I still wish her good health."

Khine Zar Win, another visitor, said she wanted her three children to know Momo, too. "I've known her since I was young. Celebrating her birthday helps children learn about elephants and how to care for them," she said.

According to Myint Thein, an advisor at the Htoo Zoos & Gardens Business Unit, the celebration carries an important message. "Beyond the birthday festivities, I want to raise public awareness about wildlife conservation," he said.

"Momo arrived at Yangon Zoological Gardens in 1961 when she was seven years old. Even though she's now elderly, she still lives healthily thanks to the zoo staff's care," he added.

Aung Win Thaung, a senior elephant keeper who has been caring for Momo for about 12 years, said, "Her health is good. She lives neatly and cleanly, and always drinks clean water. As she gets older, she has become less patient and doesn't like messy surroundings. She can eat only soft food now because her teeth don't work well."

Elephant Momo has entertained zoo visitors for over 50 years with her ability to dance and respond to her name. Since her 60th birthday, her birthday has been celebrated annually at Yangon Zoological Gardens.■