A three-day birthday party for Aldergrove's Greater Vancouver Zoo begins today.

Several guests from the City and Township, the Leq'a:mel First Nation, and one of the original owners of the zoo will be on hand to help cut a birthday cake.

Athletes from the Abbotsford Heat and Langley Chiefs, firefighters, and musicians will also be stopping by. For kids there will be face painting, and the 40th Wild & Wonderful Years contest will still be accepting entries for its big draws.

A 2011 Toyota Camry hybrid, an Alaskan cruise, and trips to Disneyworld and San Diego are up for grabs.

The zoo originally had just a few animals, but now has more than 600 from 135 species.