Louisville Zoo's baby elephant finally has a name
Louisville's new baby elephant is no longer nameless!
The little African elephant baby born Aug. 2 at the Louisville Zoo officially learned his new name on Tuesday.
A naming contest was launched Sept. 29. The finalists were Rocket, Fitz and Walt. There were more than 15,500 submissions.
The public spoke, and the winning name is Fitz.
Kristin Hays, of Prospect, submitted Fitz after her great-grandparent who loved elephants, and passed the love on to her.
She will receive a behind-the-scenes tour with five guests to meet the calf and his mother, Mikki; a prize basket with merchandise from the zoo and Norton Children's Hospital, and a Comfy Cow gift certificate.
Over $6,000 were raised in the naming contest and all proceeds will support the zoo’s mission to “better the bond between people and our planet.”
Norton Children’s Hospital heart transplant recipient Eli Alexander and his family helped unveil the winning name on Tuesday. Eli’s parents have likened his strength and bravery to that of an elephant in his battle with a heart defect and later with a life-changing heart transplant at Norton Children’s Hospital, so it seemed fitting he be a part of this, the zoo said.
Mikki and the calf are on exhibit daily at the zoo from 10 a.m. to noon.
Watch his public debut below.