VOTING COMPLETED
According to the tradition of animal parks, whoever sees a newborn for the first time has the “privilege” of choosing its name. The monitoring protocol using audiovisual cameras of the pregnancy of the elephant Maja, the mother, allowed attend live birth and stunning images, even with the striking sound of spilling amniotic fluid, have been seen by thousands of people around the world. In the same way that BIOPARC shared such an exciting moment, now they want to do the same to choose What will the little “elephant” be called? that next Sunday the 14th he will celebrate his first month of life.
The technical team proposes for the vote 3 options representative: Malik, of Arabic origin means “king”; Meru, designation of a river, a mountain and a National park of Kenya; and Makonnen, which expresses “worthy of being respected.” From today you can participate in the vote through the BIOPARC Valencia website so that all people who wish to do so can express their preference. The operation is very simple, as you simply have to access the park's home page where you will find the link with the description of the different naming alternatives and the form where you can mark your choice. This same initiative was carried out with the “little elephant” for just over a year and, with the collaboration of more than 6.000 people, we can now know her by Makena, which refers to “the one who is happy.” BIOPARC staff encourages you to contribute to this very significant process with the desire to achieve maximum involvement.
It is something very emotional and, at the same time, relevant, since this second birth of African elephant in the Valencian Community is produced within the international conservation program for this species which is increasing its risk of disappearing in a truly disturbing way. From the beginning of the last century until now it has only managed less than 5% of the elephant population survive who inhabited the African continent. The result of this dramatic and silent massacre that has gone unnoticed by the majority caused the alarm to be raised in the scientific community and the IUCN has raised the extinction status in its well-known Red List, which is the best “thermometer” in the world. biodiversity situation.
La BIOPARC Foundation and the Valencian park They assumed this reality and decided to participate prominently in the preservation of this species that, being the largest terrestrial animal that exists, reminds us of that megafauna now lost forever and that dominated the Earth. The two births are already the result of this determined conservation action that is about ensure the survival of the African elephant with controlled breeding and under the recommendations of specialists to guarantee optimal genetic variability and future viability of the species. In this way, these two little ones also represent hope for the African elephant.
The technical team is dedicated to providing maximum well-being, promoting the development of the offspring and the correct integration of the entire elephant herd. At the moment the evolution is very positive and the people who visit Foundation they have the possibility of contemplating in the recreation of the savanna the little one with his mother and other females during the morning in the palm grove area Makena with the rest of the females in the baobab forest and the lake. Altogether, a magnificent opportunity to know, value and esteem this wonderful threatened nature. The objective is to convey the commitment to environmental protection, raise awareness and mobilize society to, together, find a promising future for our planet.
