NIAGARA FALLS, N.Y. — What’s in a name? Aquarium officials in western New York are seeking the public’s help in naming a new penguin chick.
The male penguin chick, hatched in April, is the 23rd reared at the Aquarium of Niagara since the colony was established there in 1978, WGRZ-TV reported.
People were invited to submit a name for voters to consider after paying a $23 donation to the aquarium, according to the television station. The final list was whittled to three, and voting began online Friday and will continue through Sept. 9.
More than 50 names were submitted, and aquarium officials wrote in a Facebook post that the finalists were Cusco, Gus, and Boldt.
Another male chick hatched in April and was named P.T. by a donor who made a substantial gift toward the renovation of the penguin habitat, WGRZ reported.
“The aquarium loves to make connections with our community through our animal ambassadors,” Aquarium of Niagara President and CEO Gary Siddall said in a statement. “This naming opportunity is a great way for the public to directly engage with our Humboldt penguins and support the aquarium’s work toward making a difference for their counterparts in the wild.”
According to the survey, Gus is the early leader for the chick’s name after more than 500 responses. The penguin can be seen at the aquarium’s Penguin Coast and can be identified by a pink band on his right wing, WGRZ reported.
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