Visitors had the opportunity to learn more about Asian elephant care and conservation during a day dedicated to education, awareness and the traditional Holi festival

Today, Terra Natura Benidorm celebrated the 54th birthday of Petita, one of our best-known and most beloved elephants, with a special day combining education, conservation and Hindu tradition. The programme brought together educational and awareness-raising activities about Asian elephants with music, dance and interactive experiences, giving families the opportunity to learn more about these magnificent animals, their care and the importance of protecting the species. The celebrations culminated in the traditional Holi festival, filled with water, music and colour.

Petita’s birthday celebrations began at 11:00 am in the Pangea area, where visitors were welcomed with a Hindu-inspired celebration featuring Bollywood dancing and live music. From the outset, children and adults were invited to take part in a range of activities designed to provide an engaging and accessible insight into the world of Asian elephants.

Our Education Department prepared an educational programme which included an interactive stand dedicated to Asian elephants and their conservation, as well as an informative talk. Visitors were able to take a closer look at different items related to the species, including tusks, molars, hair and footprint impressions, while also discovering some of the veterinary equipment used by our team during the elephants’ routine health checks.

At 12:30 pm, the music and dancing continued with a colourful procession towards the elephant area, where a special fruit offering was prepared for Petita and her companion, Kaiso. During the celebration, our team explained the importance of protecting the Asian elephant and highlighted the daily work carried out at Terra Natura Benidorm to safeguard the animals’ welfare and contribute to the conservation of the species.

As part of the celebrations, our keepers prepared special enrichment for the elephants, consisting of alfalfa and a selection of apples, melon, watermelon, pineapple, papaya and tomatoes. Some of the food was offered frozen, turning mealtime into an engaging and stimulating activity for Petita and Kaiso, while encouraging them to interact with the different elements carefully prepared by their keepers.

Following the fruit offering, the celebrations moved to the Asian Village, where hundreds of visitors joined in the traditional Holi festival. Water and brightly coloured powders,

accompanied by music and dancing, provided one of the most vibrant and entertaining moments of the day, bringing the morning programme to a spectacular close.

The celebrations will continue throughout the afternoon at Aqua Natura Benidorm with the ‘Jungle Party’, a DJ-led event extending Petita’s birthday celebrations and keeping the festive atmosphere going into the afternoon.

Through this special day, Terra Natura Benidorm has aimed to turn Petita’s 54th birthday into an opportunity to showcase the daily work carried out with our elephants and raise awareness of the importance of their care, welfare and conservation. Petita’s own story has also been an important part of the celebrations, which reflect values such as resilience, friendship and integration.

Petita arrived at Terra Natura Benidorm in 2004. Due to her slender build, she was initially rejected by members of the herd. The close bond she developed with Kaiso played a key role in helping her overcome this situation and gradually become integrated into the group until she was fully accepted by the herd.

Since then, Petita’s story has become one of the best-known examples at Terra Natura Benidorm of the strong relationships these animals can establish and the vital role that social bonds play within an elephant herd.