At least that is what Symbio Wildlife Park's grand old red panda can claim.

Named after the wise teacher from the Karate Kid movies, Mr Miyagi seems to have mastered the secret to eternal youth.

While red pandas only live eight years in their natural habitat in the mountains of Nepal, Myanmar and China, Mr Miyagi has been soaking up the good life at Symbio, notching up twice that age today.

And just like Pat Morito's character in the 1984 movie, he has been passing on his wisdom to some of his biggest fans, the Illawarra Credit Union wildlife savers who helped build his home.

My Miyagi's warm and friendly nature won the hearts and minds of the Radnidge family, who own and run Symbio Wildlife Park, soon after he arrived from Mogo Zoo in October 2006.

John Radnidge and son Matt described him as a special member of the Symbio family, who despite his age, never got sick or misbehaved.

"He is just so well conditioned," John Radnidge said.

"He is such a magnificent animal," Matt Radnidge added.

Mr Miyagi wasn't really interested in having his photo taken yesterday at an early 16th birthday celebration, despite being tempted with a yummy cake, streamers, balloons and presents carefully prepared for him by Symbio's keepers.

Mr Miyagi was born in Japan in 1994 and was already an old man of 12 when he moved to Stanwell Tops to become the elder statesman of the Symbio family.

He has always been popular with park visitors.

Students at Bald Face Public School in Sydney took great delight in singing him happy birthday yesterday.

The Symbio team ensured the students understood they were viewing an endangered species, which was a victim of deforestation due to logging and the spread of agriculture in its native habitat.