Community invited to cast votes while helping giraffes in the wild
ROYAL OAK, Mich. – After reaching out to the community for suggestions, the Detroit Zoo is up to its neck in potential names for its newest arrival, a male reticulated giraffe calf born September 30. The Zoo asked its friends and followers on social media to offer possible monikers, and received more than 3,000 submissions.
The five finalists – all Swahili names – and their meanings are Mpenzi (“love”), Zawadi (“gift”), Ajabu (“wonderful”), Amani (“peace”) and Kijana (“young man”).
The Detroit Zoological Society (DZS) is offering the public the opportunity to support giraffe conservation by voting for their favorite name with a minimum $5 contribution through the Detroit Zoo’s website. Those interested can visit https://bit.ly/giraffecalf by midnight Oct. 28 to make a donation and cast their vote. The calf will ultimately bear the name that raises the most money for giraffe conservation.
“There is growing conservation concern with wild giraffe populations due to poaching, loss of habitat, and the effects of war and civil unrest across Africa. The need for a concerted conservation effort has never been more urgent,” said Scott Carter, DZS chief life sciences officer. “The giraffe is a magnificent creature and we are committed to ensuring its survivability.”
The calf can be seen outdoors on warmer days, but will be kept inside the giraffe building as temperatures drop to ensure his well-being. The building will remain closed to guests for the time being as the calf becomes acclimated to his surroundings.
The Detroit Zoological Society is a nonprofit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic habitats, the Detroit Zoo is located at 10 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue off I-696 in Royal Oak, Mich. The Detroit Zoo is open 362 days a year, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through Labor Day, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day after Labor Day through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March. Admission is $14 for adults 15 to 61 and $10 for children 2 to 14, senior citizens 62 and older and active military with ID; children under 2 are admitted free. The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission to the Nature Zoo is free; however, a State of Michigan Recreation Passport is required for all personal vehicles to enter Belle Isle State Park. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.
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