Iconic Zoo Miami Elephant To Celebrate 50th Birthday
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) -- Zoo Miami is excited to be celebrating the 50th birthday of the largest and one of the most iconic animals in the zoo's history! "Dalip" the Asian elephant will be receiving a special cake Friday morning as an introduction to a weekend of festivities. Dalip is a Hindi name for boys meaning "King."
Dalip arrived at the old Crandon Park Zoo on Key Biscayne as a young calf in August of 1967, along with a female named Seetna, as a donation from philanthropist Ralph Scott who paid the government of India $2,500 for each animal. His actual date of birth was June 8th, 1966 and he was captive born in a zoo in the state of Kerala in India.
He fathered a calf with Seetna in July of 1980 before moving to the newly opened Miami Metrozoo later that year where they remained together until they had to be evacuated to separate institutions due to the damage caused by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Seetna remained at the institution that she was sent to for breeding purposes, Dalip returned to Zoo Miami (then Metrozoo) in June of 1995 where he has remained ever since.
When Dalip first arrived in Miami in 1967, he was a one year old calf weighing a few hundred pounds, but has grown into one of the most majestic bull elephants in the country and now weighs approximately 12,650 pounds!
He joins a very special club by turning fifty as the median age of Asian elephants in the U.S. is 40.
Zoo Miami will celebrate Dalip's birthday all weekend with a series of special events including special keeper talks, crafts for children, singing "Happy Birthday" with free cupcakes (at 12:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday while supplies last), a raffle and silent auction for an elephant painting and a behind-the-scenes tour, as well as a "dance off" each day at 2:00 p.m. Visitors can also sign a banner with their best wishes.