The African elephant born at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium earlier this month on the 2nd has received his name.
Mopani was named for an African tree with distinctive butterfly-shaped leaves eaten by elephants.
The Doorly Zoo uses 3 different methods of picking names. Sometimes donors do it, sometimes a public contest is held, and sometimes the keepers are given the honor – which was the choice this time.
Staff submitted 11 names, the zoo’s elephant manager narrowed the list to 4, and a staff vote then chose Mopani.
His mother, Lolly, had a herd birth with the zoo’s other elephants with her, and Mopani instantly bonded with his mother.
Senior elephant keeper Cassie Quimby says Lonny is “a very attentive first-time mom,” but the herd’s least-dominant elephant, so they’ve been working on easing introductions and allowing for quiet time for mother and baby to continue bonding.
Quimby also says Mopani is growing extremely fast, adding about 21 pounds in 3 weeks to weigh in at 245, and loves to play in the water and with the balls and other items provided for stimulation and awareness of his environment..
The Omaha zoo is in the midst of an African elephant boom. Siblings Eugenia and Sonny were both born in January of last year, another calif is due later this year, and officials announced Friday that a 5th baby elephant is expected next February or March.