Zoo hosts 10th birthday party for first elephant born in Arizona

By Madison Thomas

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    TUCSON, Arizona (KGUN) — On Saturday, at the Reid Park Zoo a 10th birthday party was held for Nandi, the first elephant born in Arizona.

Guests were also able to interact with staff, do crafts, learn more about elephants at the “Meet the Vet” table and kids were able to play in their own mud wallows, just like the elephants. All of these activities were aimed at mixing fun and education.

Reid Park Zoo currently has five elephants. All of them are female. Nandi is described by Reid Park Zoo Elephant Supervisor, Cassie Dodds as a very enthusiastic and bold elephant.

To celebrate her birthday, she was given special ice treats, tree branches and of course lots of mud.

Dodds says on average elephants live into their 40s and 50s at the zoo. “We’ve learned a lot over the last couple decades about how to really improve their healthcare and we have a “Meet the Vet” table here today that talks a lot about the improvements and advancements that we’ve had in elephant health over the last couple decades, so we’re seeing them live longer and longer,” Dodds said.

Two more elephants have been born at the Reid Park Zoo since Nandi was born in 2014.

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