Community decides name for Potter Park Zoo’s bongo

LANSING, Mich. (WILX) - One of Potter Park Zoo’s newest additions officially has a name -- thanks to people in the community.

On March 8, a female eastern bongo calf was born at Lansing’s Potter Park Zoo, the first bongo born at the zoo since 2014, and the fourth in the zoo’s history.

Zookeepers asked the community to help name the calf. The options available were Bahiti, Zahara, Mable and Winnie. Zahara, which means flower in Swahili, was chosen.

“We asked for the public’s help to help us name our bongo calf. So we gave everyone a list of names that keepers and staff here at Potter Park had chosen and gave the public the opportunity to vote on which name they liked best,” said Ashleigh Winkelmann, with Potter Park Zoo. “We asked for donations for a vote in order to raise money for conservation for our mission.”

The contest raised more than $500. More information on bongos can be found on the official Potter Park Zoo website here.

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