HOMOSASSA, Fla. — This is one happy hippo.
Lu, an African hippopotamus, celebrated his birthday on Monday at Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park munching on birthday cake and enjoying a special birthday song.
The long-time resident of the park turned 59 this week, making him the oldest living hippo in North America.
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Park manager Kim Tennille said Lu attracts visitors from around the world.
"Lu delights visitors of all ages and helps us encourage our visitors to learn about Florida's unique natural environment," Tennille said in a news release. "We are happy to give him a great birthday party in return for the happiness he brings our visitors every day."
Lu was born at the San Diego Zoo on Jan. 26, 1960.
[ READ: Happy birthday, Fiona! The Cincinnati Zoo’s beloved hippo turns 2 ]
A fixture at Homosassa Springs since 1964, Lu was a movie and television star with the Ivan Tors Animal Actors troupe, which wintered at the park while it was in private ownership.
When the Florida Department of Environmental Protection’s Florida Park Service purchased the attraction in 1989, the state planned to shift the emphasis of the park to native Florida wildlife and find homes for all of the exotic species, including Lu.
But public support led the state to grant Lu special Florida citizenship in 1991. Since then, the park manager said he has become an icon at the park, attracting visitors from around the globe.
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