Lincoln Children’s Zoo is inviting the public to help name its newest resident: a female Matschie’s tree kangaroo joey.
Voting is open through Thursday, March 5, with the selected name to be announced March 7, the first day of spring break. The winning name will be displayed at the tree kangaroo habitat inside the Animal Kingdom Building.
The four finalist names are:
- Rosenke
- Samala
- Tarawe
- Yautoka
“Each name idea is in honor of a Village Birth Attendant (VBA) in the YUS Conservation Area of Papua New Guinea, the home of Matschie’s tree kangaroos. VBA’s are local midwives who volunteer to support women through pregnancy and childbirth in remote communities where no doctors or trained nurses are available,” said the Zoo in a statement.
The zoo partners with the Tree Kangaroo Conservation Program, which works in Papua New Guinea to support health care access, education and conservation efforts. Zoo officials say strengthening local communities helps protect the cloud forest habitat that endangered tree kangaroos rely on.
Community members can cast a vote at: lincolnzoo.org.