On Saturday, September 22, the Buttonwood Park Zoo will host a celebration in honor of National Elephant Appreciation Day, which originated in 1996. Join the Zoo staff and volunteers between 11 am and 2 pm to learn more about Emily and Ruth and their wild counterparts.

In addition to educational and fun activities, there will be a birthday and anniversary celebration with cake at 1 pm in honor of Ruth’s 60th birthday and to mark the 50th anniversary of Emily joining the Zoo family. Come to watch the girls enjoy some birthday-themed enrichment, and learn what you can do to help Asian Elephants!

Learn more about Asian elephants during keeper chats and participate in activities for the whole family.

If you would like to bring a birthday or anniversary gift, donations of unopened packages of unsalted shelled peanuts, yogurt covered raisins, and dried fruit will be accepted on their behalf. All activities are free with Zoo admission and will take place on the lawn at the elephant habitat.

Fun Elephant Facts:
1. The elephant’s closest living relative is the rock hyrax, a small furry mammal that lives in rocky landscapes across sub-Saharan Africa and along the coast of the Arabian Peninsula.
2. Like human toddlers, great apes, magpies, and dolphins, elephants have passed the mirror test – they recognize themselves in a mirror.
3. Elephants can get sunburned, so they throw sand on their backs and heads to keep from getting sunburned and to keep bugs off.
4. An elephant’s trunk is a long nose with many functions such as smelling, breathing, trumpeting, drinking and grabbing things. The trunk alone contains approximately 100,000 different muscles.
5. Elephants have a longer pregnancy than any other mammal with a gestation of almost 22 months. At birth, elephants weigh 200 pounds and stand about 3 feet tall.

Ruth and Emily are like celebrities around here. Celebrate with them to make them feel special!

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