One of Disney’s Animal Kingdom’s biggest residents is celebrating a major milestone, Luna the elephant recently turned the BIG 1-6!
Disney’s Animal Kingdom marked the occasion with a special birthday celebration complete with enrichment activities, themed decorations, and plenty of treats.
Disney’s Animals, Science and Environment Vice President Dr. Mark Penning shared photos and video from the festivities on Instagram, writing, “Happy 16th Birthday to Luna! Swipe to see how much she loved the enrichment our Animal Nutrition and Animal Care teams created for her Sweet 16.”
Luna’s Sweet 16 Celebration
The birthday setup featured a handmade “Luna’s Sweet 16” sign surrounded by colorful enrichment items, gift boxes, toys, and treats spread throughout her habitat.
One particularly fun addition was a cardboard car display, prompting one commenter to joke that Luna had even received a car for her Sweet 16 celebration.
The photos show Luna exploring the birthday display while surrounded by hay and enrichment items prepared by Disney’s Animal Care and Animal Nutrition teams. In the accompanying video, Luna can be seen investigating the decorations, enjoying her treats, and making quick work of some of the cardboard elements that were part of her birthday surprise.
The celebration offered guests a behind-the-scenes look at the care and enrichment programs used by Disney’s animal teams to keep the park’s residents mentally and physically engaged.
Luna’s birthday comes during an exciting season for Disney’s animal family, which has recently welcomed several new arrivals, including otter pups Butternut, Biscuit, and Potato, Masai giraffe calf Tucker, Sumatran tiger cub Bakso, and a flamboyance of flamingo chicks at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Luna herself has become quite popular with park-goers over the years, and her Sweet 16 celebration served as a reminder of the special connections guests form with the animals that call Disney’s Animal Kingdom home.
Have you ever spotted Luna during a visit to Disney’s Animal Kingdom? Let us know your favorite animal resident in the comments and on social media.
