UPDATE: Thanks to you, we now have a name for the Zoo’s giraffe calf – Enzi!
“Enzi means ‘powerful’ in Swahili and we think it’s the perfect name for this strong female calf,” explains our ungulates team leader Tommy. A huge thank you to Victoria Chapman for suggesting this name – as well as everyone who took the time to propose a thoughtful name for the now three-week-old calf.
Our ungulates keepers say that Enzi is a very easy-going calf and is showing a lot of character already. She has bonded well with the whole giraffe herd and is already very confident around the other species – ostriches and zebras – that she shares her habitat with. Her weight is increasing at a healthy and steady 2kg a day and she has already started to supplement mum Kiraka’s milk with a nibble on some fresh leaves and lucerne hay.
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We’d love your help to name Auckland Zoo’s two-week-old giraffe calf!
You can read more about her recent birth to mum Kiraka here, and our video below shows the beautiful and healthy female calf being born, right up until her first few days in the Africa Safari Track with the herd.
Just like her whānau from around the Zoo, we’re looking to give this newborn a name that relates to where her counterparts are from in the wild. To give you an idea, her older brother is named Jabali which means ‘strong’ in Swahili. The family / individual who suggests the winning name will not only have the privilege of having named the calf but they’ll also win an annual family membership to the Zoo!
How to enter:
1) Spend some time researching a special name with your family.
2) Write the name in the comments below the social media post, with the meaning behind it and why you decided on this name.
3) All entries must be made before 11.59pm Wednesday 31 January.
4) Suggested names must be submitted on the Zoo's Instagram or Facebook accounts.
Our ungulates team will go through the list and the winning name will be chosen and announced later that week. We can't wait to see your suggestions!
NB: weather permitting calf and mum will be in the giraffe habitat for short periods during the day so you may not always see them when you visit.
