PORTLAND, OR (KPTV) -
What should the Oregon Zoo name its baby elephant? Zoo staff have narrowed it down to five, and now they're asking for the public's help in picking the winning name.
Rose-Tu gave birth to the 300-pound bundle of joy early Friday morning. Oregon Zoo director Kim Smith described the calf as "beautiful, healthy, tall and very vigorous."
Now, zookeepers are considering the following five names for the "little" one:
- Jaidee (Thai for "good-hearted")
- Sirikit (name for Thai royalty, literal meaning is "glorious")
- Rakhi (Sanskrit for "love/bond between siblings")
- Lily (following the flower theme of mom's name, Rose-Tu, or Rose for short)
- Siddhi (Sanskrit for "perfection"; wife of Ganesha)
Votes are being tallied on the Oregon Zoo website at oregonzoo.org.
There's still no word yet on when the new baby will be ready for visitors.
"Rose should allow the calf to nurse regularly, sleep, play and generally act like a calf without trying to stop it and control its movements," said Bob Lee, the zoo's elephant curator. "Then we'll determine whether she's calm and comfortable with staff around. And finally, we want to make sure the calf has had a chance to bond with the rest of the herd."
Copyright 2012 KPTV (Meredith Corporation.) All rights reserved.
