OMAHA, Neb. (KMTV) — The male African elephant calf born at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium on Jan. 30 has been named Sonny, said the zoo in a press release.
Sonny received his name from a donor who won the naming rights at the Zoo’s fundraiser, Zoofari 2021.
“All of us at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium are beyond thrilled to have welcomed two healthy African elephant calves in January. What a way to start 2022!” said Dennis Pate, president and CEO of Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.
On Jan. 24, the zoo announced that the female calf born to Kiki on Jan. 7 was named Eugenia by the Grewcock family, who also won the naming rights at the zoo's fundraiser. She was the first African elephant ever born at the zoo.
“With the elephant population decreasing, Eugenia and Sonny represent a new generation of possibilities for an African elephant population in desperate need of growth,” Pate said.
“They are critical pieces in a much larger plan for population sustainability and species conservation, as is the work of accredited zoos like Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium."
The Elephant Family Quarters, where Eugenia and Sonny live with the herd, is currently closed to the public to allow Animal Care staff time to observe the herd. There are a total of eight elephants in the herd, including Eugenia and Sonny.
Visitors will have the opportunity to reserve a timed ticket to see both elephant calves with the herd in the Elephant Family Quarters once reopened. Updates about the African elephants and timed ticketing will be provided via media alerts and the Zoo’s social media pages as additional information becomes available.
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