A zoo held an adorable Buddhist-style wedding ceremony for a pygmy hippo couple.

Khao Kheow Open Zoo marked eight-year-old female hippo Moo Manao's pairing with male resident hippo, five-year-old Moo Ton with festivities.

Footage shows the bride, Moo Manao, and groom, Moo Ton, in an elaborate celebration with caretakers dressed in traditional clothing on January 24.

They lined up to march to the hippo enclosure carrying platters of flowers and fruits as offerings for the symbolic union of the pair.

The watermelons and other sliced fruit were arranged in a basin, given as snacks for the new mates, and shared by the pool.

A zoo caretaker said: 'The hippos will start a new life together to help conserve the species.'

The hippo bride, transferred last year from Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, was given a pile of cash and ten gold bars as a dowry.

More donations are being put for the hippo couple and into the zoo's Wildlife Sponsorship Project which was recently joined by Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin.

Tourists joined the zookeepers during the symbolic wedding with animal mascots dancing outside.

The pygmy hippopotamus is listed as an endangered species on the IUCN Red List and is classified under Appendix II of CITES.

Interest in the species has boomed following the popularity of Moo Deng, a baby pigmy hippo who was born last year at a zoo in Chonburi, eastern Thailand.

Her fame surged when the zoo posted pictures of her on its Facebook page, showcasing her in funny gestures.

Due to her popularity, the number of daily visitors to the zoo doubled in early September.
The Zoological Park Organization of Thailand reported that the number of tourists visiting reached 159,743, a significant increase from August's total of 98,046.