The Toronto Zoo‘s newest resident now has a name!
After more than 7,500 people cast their votes in a Facebook promotion, “Obi” was chosen as the official name for the zoo’s new baby male Grevy’s zebra, nicknamed “Baby Stripes.”
The zoo revealed the name in an adorable video posted to YouTube, showing stable doors sliding open to eventually reveal the foal frolicking next to his mother.
Eight-year-old Tori, a female Grevy’s zebra, gave birth to the black-and-white male foal in the early morning hours of Feb. 13.
The foal is Tori’s third baby and his new name follows the zoo’s tradition of naming zebras after Star Wars characters.
Tori also gave birth to Leia in 2014 and Rey in 2016, with all three baby zebras sired by dad, Jake, 11.
The zoo said Obi’s birth is important to conserving the Grevy zebra’s species as it is currently listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature’s Red List of threatened species.
Over the last 30 years, the Grevy’s zebra population has declined by almost 70 per cent due to overhunting. There are only 2,800 of these animals left worldwide.
Among the names that did not make the cut for the newborn:
“JJ” Jake Jr. after his dad Jake.
“TJ” in honour of mom, Tori and dad, Jake.
“Chewy” in keeping with the Star Wars-themed names of other family members, Luke, Leia and Rey.
Mom, Tori, and baby, Obi, will not be visible to the public until the spring.
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