Norfolk’s Virginia Zoo wants help naming critically endangered baby siamang

A zoo in Virginia is looking to name one of its new arrivals. 

Last week, the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk announced an auction for someone to choose the name of its new siamang infant, which was born on June 26. 

Bidding is open until Friday, Aug. 19, at 5 p.m. EDT. Whoever wins the bid will have until Aug. 26 to send their name choice to the zoo, according to the announcement on the zoo website.

For record-keeping purposes, the baby’s name can not be the same as another animal at the Virginia Zoo.

The zoo is also requesting gender-neutral names because the siamang’s gender has not yet been determined. 

That’s because the baby is still bonding with its mom — a siamang named Malana. 

The baby’s dad is another siamang named Bali who is also at the Virginia zoo, according to the announcement.

“The neonatal exam has not yet been performed as mom and baby haven’t been separated in the interest of their natural bonding process,” the Virginia Zoo explained on its website.

As of Monday, the leading bid was $625 by someone named Bernard David, according to the zoo’s auction site. 

Money raised from the auction will benefit the Virginia Zoo’s Act for Wildlife conservation fund, the auction site said. 

“A siamang birth is an important addition to this critically endangered lesser ape,” Greg Bockheim, the Virginia Zoo executive director, said in a statement. 

“Watching a baby grow and engage with its family is special for all of us.”