The newest baby zebra at Utah's Hogle Zoo now has a name, and it is meaningful to both the state and the species.
The zoo announced that its new name is Zion, and the name was chosen for a couple of different reasons, reported KSL.
A facebook post from the zoo stated, "Zion means 'highest point' and our species are Hartmann's mountain zebra- they live at an elevation in South Africa higher than Salt Lake City."
Baby Zion is part of the zoo's Species Survival Plan that includes 125 species living in captivity that are mostly endangered or threatened. The SSP allows them to participate in research, education, and programs to reintroduce them back into the wild.
One of the African Savanna keepers said, "We also love Zion National Park. Wherever Zion ends up with the SSP, he'll have a connection to Utah."
Zion was born on January 15th at Hogle Zoo. He was introduced to the public after bonding with his mother, Ziva, for about two weeks, and getting to how his other furry neighbors in the zoo.
Hogle Zoo members were able to submit possible names for the colt on Facebook. Popular suggestions included Dazzle, which is the name for a group os zebras, Raza, and Zoom.
Photo: Getty Images