The community is invited to help the Santa Barbara Zoo choose a name for one of the female Bennett’s wallabies living in the zoo’s new Australian Walkabout. The Santa Barbara Zoo staff, along with the wallabies’ care team, have narrowed the names down to the following four contenders:
Inala (in-AH-la): a suburb of Brisbane, Australia, which also means “rest time” or “night time” in the Bundjalung language of the northeast region of New South Wales and the southeast region of Queensland
Lowanna (loh-WAH-na): means “woman” in the Palawa language of Tasmania
Coral: for the famous Great Barrier Reef in Australia
Kalina (kaa-LEE-na): means “to love” in the Wemba Wemba language of Victoria
Voting runs from Feb. 22 until 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 1. To vote, click here, where a poll will be tracking the public’s opinion. The winning name will be announced March 2 on the zoo’s social media channels.
The zoo’s Bennett’s wallaby is a medium-sized marsupial found along the eastern coast of Australia and on the island of Tasmania. Adults can weigh between 30 and 40 pounds, and stand about three feet tall, with males being slightly larger than the females. Their native habitat ranges from eucalyptus forests to open areas adjacent to forests.
While one female will soon be named through this contest, the other three of the zoo’s wallabies are available to be named, click here for the sponsorship opportunities.
The Santa Barbara Zoo’s Australian Walkabout, which opened in January, features a 15,000-square-foot habitat designed to transport guests “Down Under,” where they can walk among the wallabies, kangaroos and emus, see native birds, and develop a deeper understanding of and connection to wildlife conservation.
The Australian Walkabout is free with zoo admission, no additional reservations are required. Online tickets purchased in advance are currently required for all guests, including Santa Barbara Zoo members (member tickets are free of charge). For reservations click here.
The Santa Barbara Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. for members and 9:30 a.m. for general admission until 5 p.m.; general admission is $19.95 for adults, $14.95 for children 2-12, and free for children under 2. Parking is $11. The Santa Barbara Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. For more, visit www.sbzoo.org.