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The birth of an endangered pangolin at Prague Zoo made international headlines, but the world-famous little critter still does not have a name. That is about to change, as people can now help to choose what to call the female baby.
The public can choose from several options proposed by zoo and City Hall representatives until March 22. To vote, you have to log into City Hall’s Pražana portal with a bank ID, data box, or another form of electronic verification. The winner will be announced on March 25 when Prague Zoo opens for its 92nd season.
The City Hall portal offers five names to choose from, and you can vote in our straw poll to see if we can collectively guess the right one.
What should the baby pangolin be called?
The pangolin has been gaining weight every day, and her mother Run Hou Tang is taking excellent care of the six-week-old baby.
Prague Zoo director Miroslav Bobek says the progress is a great success not only because Run Hou Tang is an experienced mother, but also due to the zoo staff. There are still hurdles ahead. “The next risk period occurs as soon as the baby begins to taste solid food, and the second when she switches to it," Bobek said in a press release.
Zoo staff had to feed the cub a few days after its birth since Run Hou Tang did not have enough milk. The baby willingly accepted the replacement food and now is several times her birth weight. Supplemental feeding is now no longer necessary.
Pangolins endangered due to smuggling and poaching
Deputy Mayor Jana Komrsková said that last year when the public chose names for the newly arrived pangolin adults, no one expected to be choosing a baby name within a year.
“The cub is a sign of the top care that the animals receive at the Prague Zoo, as well as the excellent cooperation with the Taipei Zoo. I'm curious what name the public will choose in the end,” she said.
She reminded people that pangolins are highly endangered due to smuggling, and the birth is an important step in their protection. She added that the scales are used in traditional Chinese medicine, which has contributed to the species being endangered.
