SUTTON, the baby African Elephant at West Midland Safari Park, has turned two-years-old and has celebrated his birthday with some help from a local Beaver Scout group.

Elephant keepers at the Bewdley attraction decided that there was only one birthday present Sutton would really appreciate this year – a birthday cake made up of mounds of his favourite food.

The keepers called upon the Beaver Scouts to help create the cake – made up of elephant feed, bread and fruit – and within half an hour the cake was complete and ready to be devoured by Sutton and his mother, Five.

Andy Plumb, head of elephants, said: “It’s been a real pleasure watching Sutton grow and progress over the last two years.

“He now weighs a whopping 790kg and is almost four feet tall to the shoulder. His tusks have started to grow and last week he lost his first ever tooth.

“Our elephants’ favourite thing is food, so there is no better birthday present than a cake made up of some of their most loved treats.

“It also contained some specially formulated elephant feed, which includes vitamins and minerals, so not only is it extremely tasty and fun to dismantle, it’s nutritional too.

“Let’s hope that the ‘terrible twos’ stage doesn’t exist with cheeky elephant calves.”

Melanie Williams, Beaver Scout leader, added: “KD9 Beaver Scouts were delighted to celebrate baby Sutton’s second birthday with him and present him with an enormous cake that they had decorated.

“The beavers were tempted to have a piece, until they were told of its special ingredients, so settled for a grape instead.

“We all felt very privileged to have had this unique opportunity to get up close to the famous Sutton and his mother in their safe habitat. The beavers spoke about how very important it is that these animals are protected at the Safari Park in order for future generations to see and appreciate them when they visit.”

Once the cake had been presented to the elephants, it didn’t last long – with both Sutton and Give using their powerful trunks to pick it apart and toss the tasty morsels into their mouths.

Sutton was born on May 5, 2014, and was the first baby elephant to be born at the Park, following artificial insemination. He lives with his mother, 24-year-old Five and ‘aunt’ Latabe, 23.