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Party marks 49th birthday for elephant at Hogle Zoo

sue | 4:44 p.m. June 26, 2009

please let her go to an elephant reserve where she can roam free during the final days of her life.

yea! | 8:04 p.m. June 26, 2009

let all the animals GO!! how would you feel if you were locked in a cage all day :(

Rue | 9:46 p.m. June 26, 2009

The animals in zoos are well cared for and safer than out in the wild. Sue and Yea! and just people who don't see all possibilities!

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Happy 49th Birthday :) | 1:42 p.m. June 27, 2009

This is great! Thanks Desert news for sharing such cute photos. We love them.

Americas Best Zoos author | 2:30 p.m. June 28, 2009

Happy Birthday, Dari!
For you critics, understand that Hogle's Elephant Encounter is one of the very best elephant exhibits in the nation. If it's not good enough for you, here's an idea -- don't go! Just leave the zoo alone so the rest of us, who love it, can enjoy it.

clm | 10:18 a.m. July 5, 2009

While it is true elephants face risk in the wild, that doesn't mean we give up on them and build captive populations. 10% of the millions that the zoo industry spends on elephant enclosures can go a long way for true conservation in wild by financing anti-poaching patrols and buying land such as Gorongosa, Mozambique project.

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7 photos

Jeffrey D. Allred, Deseret News

Dari, an African elephant in Salt Lake City, celebrates her birthday at Hogle Zoo Friday. Dari turned 49 and is the oldest living African elephant in any North American zoo. Special food, watermelon, popcorn, elm trees, bananas, various vegetables and a fruit "cake," were given to her.

Gallery (7 photos)