San Diego Zoo Safari Park officials announced Wednesday that it will let its fans choose a Chumash name for a California condor born there two months ago.
Here's the choices:
— Saxipaka, Chumash for "Once upon a time"
— Su'nan, for "to continue to, to keep on"
— Ush'anti, for "to receive"
— Antiki, for "to recover"
— Likuu, or "big"
Online voting continues through July 20.
Hatched on April 29, the chick was placed with adult condors Sulu and Towich. Its growth has been watched by thousands of people through a live condor cam in the nest box.
"California condors are an important native species in the western United States and hold a special place not only in the ecosystem but in the culture of the people native to this area," said Michael Mace, curator of birds at the San Diego Zoo Safari Park. "By giving condors names from the Kumeyaay language, we hope to honor the role of condors in human culture throughout history."
Animal care staff at the Safari Park hope say they hope the chick will be able to take its place among the wild populations that have been released in California, Arizona and Mexico.
