San Antonio Zoo Celebrates Lucky the Elephant’s 60th Birthday via Livestream

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The San Antonio Zoo threw a special birthday bash as their beloved Asian elephant Lucky turned 60 on April 5, 2020. The zoo streamed the entire celebration on Facebook live so that fans could view the decked-up exhibit specially made for Lucky.

Colorful signs that were all donated before the CCP virus outbreak were displayed at her birthday exhibit, and the zoo’s nutrition center and mammals’ departments made special treats for the elephant, who reached a milestone this year, crossing a decade more than her species’s life expectancy.

Lucky’s birthday exhibit also featured edible decorations. “There’s no glue, things are held [together] with peanut butter and frosting,” said one of the animal care specialists, Candace Gutierrez, during the livestream, which lasted for an hour. The zoo also put out “a plethora of fruits and vegetables.”

Gutierrez provided viewers with a visual tour of the brightly colored bows made from non-toxic paint and birthday cakes that were specially made for the zoo’s oldest pachyderm. She explained that one of Lucky’s cakes was made by the nutrition center and had pineapple tops, whereas another massive cake made of tires was stacked by their driver, Greg.

“The significance of Lucky being 60 years old is very big,” Gutierrez said. The average lifespan for an Asian elephant, like Lucky, is 48 years in the wild, but as Gutierrez explained, “in human care, animals get a lot more specialized care.”

The fortunate elephant, who has been in the zoo from 1962, wouldn’t be able to have lived such a life without the full-time attention of carers. “Their wild counterparts do not live as long because again their teeth wear down, their eyesight changes, even their hearing and their skin is sensitive,” Gutierrez further added.

Lucky was joined for her birthday feast by her fellow female Asian elephants, Nichole and Karen, who were seen snacking on her birthday treats.

In honor of Lucky turning 60, the zoo uploaded a video on Facebook with senior animal care specialist Mike Huff documenting some of Lucky’s morning care routine, including getting a spray bath, foot cleaning, and feeding. “I’ve been working with Lucky for about 14 years,” Huff said. “Of all the elephants I’ve met in my life, this is probably one of the most laid-back and chilled.” He added that Lucky is very “people-oriented” and is fond of her carers, “especially if [they] have treats.”

As much fun as Lucky’s celebration looked, the birthday bash had a deeper significance. According to CNN, the zoo’s president, Tim Morrow, revealed that it takes $3,500 per month to feed and care for one Asian elephant.

Amid the lockdown due to the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, commonly known as the novel coronavirus, the zoo has been suffering financially. “Unlike most zoos in the country, San Antonio Zoo depends 100 percent on ticket sales, guest spending, grants, and donations to operate. With no visitors, the zoo has lost almost the entirety of its income,” Morrow added.

Sharing Lucky’s special day would help viewers see the importance of supporting her ongoing care. To cover its operating costs, the zoo has set up an emergency fundraising effort, where those who got joy from Lucky’s birthday can give back.

Watch Lucky’s 60th birthday bash: