The Cleveland Metroparks Zoo has a new addition to the family, and there's an opportunity to have a part in naming it.
On March 11, the zoo announced the birth of a female sloth bear born late last year on Dec. 22. This is the second cub for both of the little one’s parents, 10-year-old mother Shiva and 19-year-old father Balawat.
Sloth bears are native to India and Sri Lanka and are classified as Vulnerable on the IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature) Red List of Threatened Species. Sloth bear cubs are completely dependent on their mother when born.
The zoo's announcement said it's seeking the public’s help in naming the young cub, with a deadline of midnight on March 25. Three name options are available for voting, each carrying a special regional meaning to sloth bears’ native habitats:
- Kamali – “Perfect Lotus”
- Sahana – “Patience”
- Suhani (“Su”) – “Pleasant”
"We are thrilled to welcome this new cub and proud to be part of the global effort to protect this species,” Chris Kuhar, the zoo's executive director, said in the announcement. “The public naming opportunity gives our community the ability to make an impact to secure a future for wildlife by helping to protect sloth bears in the wild.”
To vote in the final hours before the deadline closes, guests can make a donation at FutureForWildlife.org/cubnaming. Donations made during the campaign will directly support the SAFE (Saving Animals from Extinction) Sloth Bear conservation program.
Funds raised from donations will aim to help scientists better understand sloth bear distribution and range mapping to enhance conservation efforts for the species.
