Columbus Zoo asks public to help name polar bear cub

Columbus / January 21: The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio is asking the public to help choose a name for a polar bear cub being hand-reared after she was neglected by her mother.

The zoo said the cub, one of two born Nov. 6 to mother Aurora, is being raised by zookeepers after her twin died and the mother bear was found to not be paying enough attention to her surviving offspring.

“A little less than a week after the cubs were born, Aurora began taking breaks from caring for her cub. When these breaks continued throughout the day and became longer, the Zoo’s Animal Care staff made the decision to remove the cub from the den and began to hand-rear the newborn,” the zoo said on its website.

The zoo is asking fans to help decide on a name for the cub, with the website allowing visitors to vote once a day on the four finalists until Feb. 3.

The names being considered are Desna, which means “boss;” Nora, a combination of parent names Aurora and Nanuq; Kaya, which means “little but wise;” and Sakari, which means “sweet.” (UPI)