Due To Cold Weather, Raja Will Not Appear For His 25th Birthday

ST. LOUIS, MO — Due to the extremely cold temperatures predicted for Wednesday, Dec. 27, Raja, the Saint Louis Zoo’s bull elephant, will not be making an appearance for his 25th birthday celebration on Wednesday. Because the Saint Louis Zoo is dedicated to caring for animals, Raja and the other elephants will be in their indoor climate-controlled barn.

Visitors may still sign a super-sized birthday card for Raja and learn more about the elephants and elephant conservation through keeper chats, activities and biofacts from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. at Lakeside Cafe. Birthday cupcakes and hot chocolate will be available for purchase.

Born on Dec. 27, 1992, Raja was the first Asian elephant born at the Zoo and has since sired four female calves – Maliha, Jade, Kenzi and Priya. The Zoo’s three-generation Asian elephant family is thriving under the excellent care provided by a highly-trained professional animal care team.

For more information, visit stlzoo.org/raja.

The Zoo is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily Tuesday through Saturday this week; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on New Year’s Eve. The Zoo will be closed on New Year’s Day. U.S. Bank Wild Lights continues through Dec. 30. For a complete list of hours and information on Wild Lights, visit stlzoo.org/wildlights.

The St. Louis Zoo contributed this report.

Photo by Robin Winkleman/St. Louis Zoo