Due to the cold temperatures and unfavorable weather conditions predicted for Tuesday, Dec. 27, Raja (pronounced RAH zhä), the Saint Louis Zoo’s bull Asian elephant, will not be making an appearance for his 30th birthday celebration on Tuesday. Because the Saint Louis Zoo is dedicated to caring for animals, Raja and the other elephants will be in their indoor climate-controlled barn.

Zoo guests may still sign a super-sized birthday card for Raja and learn more about the elephants and elephant conservation through activities and biofacts from 11 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Living World at the Zoo’s North Entrance. Birthday cupcakes and hot chocolate will be available for purchase at Lakeside Cafe.

Born on Dec. 27, 1992, Raja was the first Asian elephant born at the Zoo. He is the father of three female calves at the Zoo — Maliha, 16, Jade, 15, and Priya, 9. The Zoo’s three-generation Asian elephant family is thriving under the excellent care provided by a highly-trained professional animal care team.

For more information, visit stlzoo.org/raja.

The Zoo is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily through Friday this week; and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 31. The Zoo is closed on Sunday, Jan. 1, New Year’s Day. U.S. Bank Wild Lights continues through Dec. 30. For a complete list of Zoo hours and tickets to Wild Lights, visit stlzoo.org.

Asian Elephant Conservation

There are nearly 50,000 Asian elephants left in the wild, and they are facing extinction due to habitat loss and destruction. Given the shrinking population of Asian elephants, the Saint Louis Zoo is committed to conserving this endangered species. It supports the welfare and conservation of Asian elephants in Sumatra, India and other countries in Asia. The Saint Louis Zoo WildCare Institute Center for Conservation in the Horn of Africa also supports conservation of African elephants in Kenya through the Northern Rangelands Trust.