One Year Old Baby Elephant Nila Utama’s Birthday Tea Party at the Singapore Zoo

Singapore Zoo and Night Safari celebrated Singapore born and bred baby elephant, Nila Utama‘s birthday last Sunday (20 Nov) as he turned one today on 23 November 2011.

I was invited to Nila Utama’s birthday tea party together with Rachel, Asher and my parents, thanks to the wonderful folks from the Wildlife Reserves Singapore, which manages the Night Safari, Singapore Zoo, Jurong Bird Park and the upcoming River Safari. Also invited were omy Blog Club family bloggers, Edmund, Leonny and Maryann, who brought their family.

This was also my son, Asher’s first visit to the zoo. Rachel and I were very thrilled about the experience and were looking forward to the trip since we received the invitation a month ago.

At just three months old, Asher may still not be able to comprehend much of what goes on in his surrounding, but his eyes were alert and inquisitive at some points when we were at the zoo. Rachel and I were glad he did not fuss too much and was quite well-behaved throughout the event (despite the grumble face). This is just a beginning. We will bring him back to the zoo again as he grows older.

Back to the little birthday elephant; lovingly referred to as ‘Nila’ by his keepers and who is named after the Palembang prince who founded the kingdom of Singapura, received a giant birthday cake made with carrots, wheat and ice, among other ingredients.

Nila was born on 23 November last year to mother Nandong and father Chawang, and is the 11th addition to the population of Asian elephants at Wildlife Reserves Singapore. He was a whopping 151kg at birth, and at 11 months of age, is a healthy elephant weighing 544kg and measuring 1.38m in height. Considered large for a newborn at 1.5 times the average size, Nila arrived after 3 hours of labour. He has two siblings – 12-year-old Sang Raja which is currently at Cologne Zoo, Germany, and nine-year-old Sang Wira which still resides at the Night Safari.

Video on Nila Utama’s birth:

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vFGdJHAGSQ”]

When the keepers wheeled the cake out into the elephant enclosure, Nila promptly rushed forward to crush the cake with his feet, together with his mother and aunts.His brother, Sang Wira watched earnestly from an opposite enclosure as adult male elephants have to be kept separated from the females:

[youtube url=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BfkXsurLAtE”]

Guests were treated to cute, elephant-shaped mini cakes and other tea-time items when we arrived. This was followed by a gourmet safari tram ride at the Night Safari, which stops at the Asian elephants exhibit where the party for Nila and his family was held.

Nila is currently housed at the Asian elephants exhibit at the Night Safari. The birthday boy is an active calf and has his own unique quirks. Keepers noticed his strong sense of independence right from his birth. Nila is inquisitive, fun-loving and likes to swim and wallow in the mud whenever he has the chance.

Check out the official Night Safari website if you would like to visit Nila and his family or find out more about the Asian elephants at the Night Safari. 🙂