Baby African elephant Scotty celebrated his first birthday today, March 15. His actual birthday is Tuesday, March 18, but we were so excited that we just couldn’t wait!

Scotty demonstrated his training to the public and enjoyed an elephant-sized birthday cake. He weighed in at 1,030 pounds (he was 285 pounds at birth) and measured 4 foot 3 inches tall (he was a little over 3 feet tall at birth). Other Zoo animals also took part in the celebration throughout the day with various animal enrichment activities.

“We were thrilled to commemorate this significant event in Scotty’s life with a community-wide celebration,” Louisville Zoo Director John Walczak said. “Scotty is a very special birthday boy and we are excited about this huge milestone.”

Walczak also announced that Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson has proclaimed March 18 to be “Scotty the Elephant Day” in celebration of Scotty’s first birthday.

You can continue to celebrate Scotty’s milestone by downloading a free Scotty computer screensaver and desktop wallpaper at www.louisvillezoo.org/events/scottybday.htm.

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The Louisville Zoo, a non-profit organization and state zoo of Kentucky, is dedicated to bettering the bond between people and our planet by providing excellent care for animals, a great experience for visitors, and leadership in scientific research and conservation education. The Zoo is accredited by the American Association of Museums (AAM) and by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA). For more information, visit www.louisvillezoo.org.

((EDITOR’S NOTE: More photos of the celebration are available upon request.))