This past weekend, we threw a party for a very special birthday girl: our naked mole rat queen! She turned nine years old.

Guests filled our Eat and Be Eaten exhibition to participate in this open-invitation event. Our animal presenters were there to teach all about naked mole rats and the unique ways that they age. For example, did you know naked mole rats can live for up to 32 years, which is incredibly long for an animal of their size? They also remain active and youthful even as they grow elderly.

For her birthday, we presented the queen with a delicious treat: a red velvet cake, made of sliced beets layered with decadent proteins, and topped with carrot sticks. We gave her the red velvet cake following a Facebook poll where users got to vote on the type of cake she would receive.

Guests even signed her birthday card!

Thanks to everyone who came out to celebrate with us!

Meet the naked mole rats every day on your visit to the Science Center! They live on the third floor in our Eat and Be Eaten exhibition, along with 100+ fascinating animal species.

animals,  birthday,  Eat and Be Eaten,  naked mole rats