Woodland Park Zoo asks for community's help in naming snow leopard cub

SEATTLE — Starting Saturday and running through Aug. 20, the Woodland Park Zoo is inviting the community to help name a snow leopard cub.

Helen, the zoo's 12-year-old snow leopard, gave birth to a single cub, a male, on July 6. The zoo is asking for community members to vote on one of the following Kyrgyzstani (Ker-giss-stanie) names:

• Aibek (eye-beck), means long living (will live for many moons)
• Azat (Ah-zAAt), means free
• Jakshy ('Zh'ock-She), means good

To vote, visit: www.zoo.org/snowleopardcub.

The new cub is the first offspring between mom and 12-year-old Dhirin (Did–in); Helen has had two previous litters with a different mate. Helen and the cub remain in an off-view maternity den to ensure continual bonding and proper nursing. The zoo is planning on putting the cub with mom in the outdoor, on-view exhibit in late September.

In addition to voting online the community is invited to attend the zoo's Wild Asia: Asian Wildlife Conservation Day, where they can also vote for their favorite name. People who vote at the zoo on Wild Asia Day (Saturday August 12, from 9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) will be entered to win an opportunity to meet the cub. People are allowed to vote once online during the polling period and once on zoo grounds during Wild Asia. For official rules and terms of participation, visit the zoo's website. 

Cox Media Group