Happy Birthday Panya; Audubon Zoo's Asian Elephant Turns 50

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New Orleans, LA (PRWEB) January 15, 2014

Panya, the senior member of the beloved pair of female Asian elephants at Audubon Zoo, celebrates her 50th birthday on Thursday, January 16, 2014, at 2 p.m.

Zoo staffers will present Panya with a cake, gifts and a giant birthday card signed by guests. Everyone is invited to observe the "party'' celebrating this milestone birthday from the Asian Domain boardwalk.

Panya, who weighs in at 9,500 pounds, will be joined by her longtime sidekick, 7,500-pound Jean, who is a spry 41. The two pachyderms have been star attractions at Audubon Zoo for 30-plus years. Jean came to Audubon Zoo in 1978 and Panya arrived in 1980.

The special birthday "party'' will be held in the temporary elephant exhibit across from the white tiger enclosure.

Guests are encouraged to ask zoo staffers about the newly-created Elephant Barn Tour which offers an up-close look at the new, state-of-the-art living quarters built recently for Panya and Jean.

Tickets for the Elephant Barn Tour are $65 per person for Audubon members and $75 per person for non-members. Tickets include same day admission to Audubon Zoo, Advance tickets are recommended.

The tour is available Fridays and Saturdays at 11:15 a.m. The encounters are limited to seven guests, six years old and above. One adult must accompany each child under 10 years of age (one adult per child).

Audubon Nature Institute is a 501(c)3 not for profit that operates a family of museums and parks dedicated to nature. These New Orleans facilities include: Audubon Park, Audubon Zoo, Woldenberg Riverfront Park, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center, Entergy IMAX® Theatre, Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species, Audubon Wilderness Park, Audubon Butterfly Garden and Insectarium and Audubon Nature Institute Foundation. Ron Forman is President and CEO of Audubon Nature Institute.

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