Photo Gallery:
Nandi turns 9
Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Nandi the African elephant celebrated turning 9 years old with the people of Tucson Saturday during a muddy birthday bash at the Reid Park Zoo. The zoo prepared a 3-hour celebration that included complimentary cookies, party hat decorating, a puppet show from Red Herring Puppets, and a human-mud wallow for kids to play in just like Nandi does.
Ezra Hafley gets buried into the mud by other kids visiting Reid Park Zoo to celebrate Nandi’s 9th birthday which is mud themed, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Nandi the African elephant walks over to the birthday cake zoo employees prepared at Reid Park Zoo, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Nandi’s birthday cake includes four layers of frozen ice that took several days to complete, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Guest flock to the elephant enclosure during Nandi’s 9th birthday bash at Reid Park Zoo, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Tim Port-Dean wears a birthday hat to celebrate Nandi the African elephant's 9th birthday at Reid Park Zoo, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Lilliana Lucero smiles big for a photo at Nandi’s 9th birthday bash at Reid Park Zoo, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Maksim Hammel listens to Reid Park Zoo volunteers at the birthday hat-making station, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Kayla Ocsuma plays in the mud pits set up at Reid Park Zoo to celebrate Nandi the African elephant’s 9th birthday, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Elia Rivera, left, Amelia Rivera, and their mother Monique Rivera sign Nandi’s birthday card at Reid Park Zoo, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Cindy Port-Dean goes all out with an elephant hat and a decorated shirt in honor of Nandi’s 9th birthday bash at Reid Park Zoo, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Sawyer Vaughn gets sprayed down with water to get clean after playing in the mud pits off at Reid Park Zoo for Nandi’s 9th muddy birthday bash, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Evelynn Quintero, left, and her new found friend Charlotte Pardo look into the African elephant enclosure as Nandi eats more birthday treats at Reid Park Zoo, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Rowan Heliotes writes on Nandi’s birthday card that will be put into the enclosure after Nandi’s party concludes at Reid Park Zoo, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Kyler Hafley plays in the mud pits set up at Reid Park Zoo for Nandi’s 9th muddy birthday bash, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star
Elia Rivera plays the public glockenspiel at Reid Park Zoo during Nandi’s 9th birthday bash, E Zoo Court, Tucson, Ariz., August 19, 2023. Grace Trejo / Arizona Daily Star