0:49The Como Zoo's newest — and so far nameless — baby orangutan made its first appearance before the public Thursday, joined by her mother, Markisa.
The zoo announced last month that the public can help choose the newborn orangutan's name. Zoo visitors can vote for their favorite Indonesian name — the finalists are Aanjay (unconquerable), Cinta (love) and Kemala (magic stone) — by dropping money into the box matching that name, or voters can pick a name online with a minimum donation of $10.
The female orangutan, born Jan. 7, will be at a baby shower the zoo is hosting to celebrate the new arrival, along with two baby zebras and a baby giraffe, Feb. 14-16. The orangutan's name will be revealed on Feb. 16 at 2 p.m., zoo officials said.
The zoo is partnering with Greater Minneapolis Crisis Nursery, an organization that works to end child abuse, for the shower and is asking visitors to donate the following unused items for the crisis nursery: children's shoes or sandals, boys' pants or shorts, children's toothbrushes, Kleenex, office copier paper, dry-erase markers (fine or medium point) and AA and AAA batteries.
Anne Millerbernd is a University of Minnesota student on assignment for the Star Tribune • 651-308-7126
