Zoo Contact:  Kyle Shepherd
kyle.shepherd@louisvilleky.gov
(O) 502-238-5331 (C) 502-744-5639  

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (December 31, 2024) – January brings some significant birthdays for several of the Louisville Zoo’s most beloved animals. On January 4, 2025, the Zoo will celebrate polar bear Qannik, Asian elephant Punch and western lowland gorilla Jelani’s birthdays. This year’s celebration carries extra significance. This will be Punch’s last birthday at the Zoo before she and African elephant Mikki move to The Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tennessee, in 2025.

Anyone wearing a red hat for Punch will receive a $1 discount at the Zoo’s admission windows. This offer is valid in person only and can not be combined with other discounts. Or you can help out the needy with our Wild Winter Days discount presented by Kroger. Guests who bring at least one non-perishable food item per person may purchase discounted tickets at the Zoo ticket windows for $10.50 per adult and $7.50 per child or senior. Twenty-five cents of every admission ticket will also support the Zoo’s conservation efforts.

Zoo guests will be invited to sing “Happy Birthday,” and each animal will receive special celebratory enrichment items and treats:

10:45 a.m.           Jelani’s 28th birthday
It’s an ape-solutely awesome birthday celebration in Gorilla Forest as keepers celebrate one of the Zoo’s most beloved and well-known male gorillas with special enrichment treats.

11:15 a.m.           Qannik’s 14th birthday
Qannik’s birthday will be dating website themed to celebrate that the female bear has finally found her “Bo.” The wild-born, rescued polar bear Qannik has joined the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) cooperative breeding program. Male polar bear “Bo” arrived earlier this year and is in rotation with Qannik.  We will see sometime this year if Qannik “swipes right” on Bo!

11:45 a.m.           Punch’s 55th birthday
Punch’s 55th will be a “Red Hat Society” birthday to celebrate “Fun, Fitness and Friendship at 50!”  Zoo keepers will create special enrichment themed after the iconic red hats with purple outfits. The Zoo also encourages guests to wear their own red hats in honor of Punch’s final birthday at the Zoo before she goes on her new adventure. Anyone wearing a red hat for Punch will receive a $1 discount at the Zoo’s admission windows. This offer is valid in person only and cannot be combined with other discounts. Guests can also choose to save with the Zoo’s Wild Winter Days discount presented by Kroger. Those who bring at least one non-perishable food item per person may purchase discounted tickets at the Zoo ticket windows for $10.50 per adult and $7.50 per child or senior. Twenty-five cents of every admission ticket will also support the Zoo’s conservation efforts.

Red is an appropriate color for Punch as Asian elephants are considered endangered on The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species with population estimates ranging from 30,000 to 50,000 in the wild. You can help animals like Punch by using the Sustainable Palm Oil Shopping App, purchasing FSC-certified wood and paper products, and by buying food and other items from local and small businesses.

More information is available at louisvillezoo.org/animalbday.

ABOUT JELANI: Western lowland gorilla Jelani arrived at the Louisville Zoo in 2002 from the Lincoln Park Zoo in Chicago. Over the last twelve years, Jelani has gained viral popularity several times for his interest in looking at guests’ cell phones.

ABOUT QANNIK: Qannik (pronounced “Cunnick”) made national headlines when she was found on Alaska’s North Slope in 2011, separated from her mother and sibling. After several days of monitoring in hopes she would reunite with the other bears, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) began a rescue operation. Qannik arrived in Louisville on June 28, 2011.

Because Qannik was born in the wild, her exact birthdate is unknown. Officials from the USFWS assigned January 10 as her birthday.

ABOUT PUNCH: Asian elephant Punch arrived at the Louisville Zoo on November 28, 1973, at approximately 3 years old, from Southwick’s Zoo in Massachusetts. Punch was wild born, so her exact birthdate is estimated. She enjoys playing with her boomer ball and eating squash.

Zoo Hours
The Zoo is open daily year-round. Now through March 14, 2025, hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., with guests exiting by 5 p.m. The Zoo is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Visit louisvillezoo.org for more information.

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About the Louisville Zoo
The Louisville Zoo, the State Zoo of Kentucky, is the top, non-profit, paid attraction in the state. The Zoo 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 Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

About The Elephant Sanctuary
Located on 3,060 acres in Hohenwald, Tennessee, The Elephant Sanctuary is the nation’s largest natural-habitat refuge developed specifically for Asian and African elephants. Founded in 1995, The Sanctuary has provided 33 elephants with individualized care, the companionship of a herd, and the opportunity to live out their lives in a safe haven dedicated to their well-being. The Sanctuary is licensed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency and has been dually recognized through accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and by the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries. The Elephant Sanctuary is currently home to 12 elephant residents.

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