As her second birthday approaches, Meru, the youngest elephant at Reid Park Zoo, has already reached an important milestone: she loves pedicures.
She’s not a baby anymore. Meru now proudly shows off her bravery by allowing zookeepers to inspect the bottoms of her feet or behind her ears without a fuss before running off to play with her older sisters.
Whether she is being pampered by staff or goofing around with her siblings, Meru has spent the past year as Tucson’s most lovable 1-year-old elephant. Now, she’s about to turn 2.
On Saturday, Meru and her older sister, Penzi, will celebrate their birthdays at Reid Park Zoo, , with a party featuring treats, crafts, and photo opportunities.
Meru was born at the zoo on March 8, 2024, to African elephant Semba. She joined an all-female herd including "allomother" Lungile and big sisters Nandi and Penzi. Later that year, 16-year-old male Tsavo also joined the group.
Zookeeper LauraAnne Hooley said if there is one word to describe Meru’s second year, it is "playful." Aside from her pedicures, Meru loves to show off her silly side. She is often found swimming or wallowing in her habitat, snacking on grapes and sweet potatoes, or playing with her favorite pellet ball.
“Before, she would play with her pellet ball and if it would roll into a tricky spot or fall down a hill, she would kind of just give up on it,” Hooley said. “Now she's gotten a lot stronger and more agile. She knows how to push the pellet balls up really steep hills.”
Getting older also means Meru is no longer just the "annoying" baby sister. Now, all three sisters play together. Hooley said the trio often gets so excited they run through the habitat together, vocalizing and kicking up dust while mother Semba and Lungile watch calmly from a distance.
This has also been a big year for Penzi, who turns 6. Once a nervous calf, Penzi is becoming more independent.
Penzi will be turning six-years-old this weekend.
“When Meru was first born, Penzi had to adjust to no longer being the baby,” Hooley said. “Especially in the last year, she's been learning to be more independent from mom.”
To celebrate their growth, the zoo is hosting a community celebration from 9 a.m. to noon on March 7. The event includes free cookies, kid-friendly crafts, and "birthday" chats with elephant experts.
While the elephants can't eat traditional cake, the staff has planned special enrichment activities.
“I don't want to give too much away, but we've been working on a lot of fun new stuff for the elephants to interact with,” Hooley said.
At 1 year old, Meru weighs 925 pounds.