For Immediate Release
Help Us Name Five African Lion Cubs!
Omaha, NE (March 7, 2013) – Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium is hosting a
Facebook-only naming contest for two male and three female African lion cubs. The
contest will take place starting tomorrow, March 8.
Visitors will need to become a Fan of our Facebook page at Facebook.com/OmahaZoo to
get started.
How the Contest Works:
March 8-15: Facebook Fans are encouraged to submit cub names on the Zoo’s
Facebook page. The animal keepers that care for the cubs will select the
top 20 name submissions.
March 22-27: The top 20 names selected by the keepers will be posted on Facebook for
voting.
March 29:
The winners will be announced March 29 at a 10:30 a.m. press
conference and on Facebook following the press conference.
Five different winners will be selected. Each winner will receive an annual membership
or renewal, a special lion-themed gift basket and a private invitation to a light breakfast
and watch a cat training demonstration with the keepers before the Zoo opens. Each
winner will be able to bring up to six additional guests of their choosing to the
demonstration.
Visitors are encouraged to visit the cubs at the Zoo for inspiration. The easiest way to see
them in the Cat Complex is by using the Elevator Building.
The five cubs were born on Dec. 29, 2012, and are just over two months old. They are all
doing well—growing and becoming very playful, especially with Mom’s tail. They are
learning to climb, jump and run. The cubs each weigh between 19 and 23 pounds. They
are on display in the Cat Complex with their mother, Mfisha, and aunt, Ahadi. The
father, Mr. Big, is also on display in the Cat Complex. The cubs are of the subspecies
krugeri. This is the focus of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Felid Taxon
Advisory Group to concentrate zoo efforts to breed lions of known lineage. Lions from
the subspecies krugeri are found in South Africa.
--30-Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium Membership Drive is underway! A
Household Membership is $94 now until April 1. Zoo hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily.
Open every day except Christmas.