Elephant Calf Named “Meru” in Community Poll
The African elephant calf born at Tucson’s Reid Park Zoo on March 8 has been named “Meru,” after Tanzania’s “Mount Meru.”
“Our team really fell in love with the name Meru for the calf. She’s the fifth member of our herd, and Mount Meru is the fifth highest peak in Africa. We think it really suits her,” Reid Park Zoo’s Director of Animal Care, Adam Ramsey, said.
More than 19,000 votes were cast in the poll to select the name from three options selected by the elephant care team.
Meru is most visible to Reid Park Zoo guests in the morning after 10 a.m. The schedule fluctuates daily based on the elephants’ needs and is subject to change. Guests may also catch a glimpse of the calf online on the Zoo Cams. Meru is quite energetic and curious. She is very playful, and enjoys climbing over logs.
Every guest who visits the Zoo plays a part in protecting elephants in the wild. Reid Park Zoo supports the Tarangire Conservation Research Program which has conserved over a million acres of elephant habitat in Africa providing safe corridors for the animals. The Zoo also participates in the African elephant Species Survival Plan and contributes to global research in elephant care, as well as the study and mitigation of the elephant virus known as EEHV.
