Name Jacksonville Zoo’s Newest Baby Tiger

If you’ve ever wanted to name a baby tiger, now’s your chance!

The Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens in Jacksonville, FL, is asking members of the general public to vote on a name for one of their newest baby tigers — and your vote will help support the zoo animals too. It’s a win-win!

Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens in Jacksonville, Florida, welcomed three critically endangered Malayan tiger cubs, one boy and two girls, on November 5, 2023, and one of the three is in need of a name! That’s where you come in.

For a $5 donation, you can vote on a name for one of the female tiger cubs whose leg was previously injured. (That’s her picture above…see her little tiger cub arm cast?)

The cub’s Care Specialists have chosen five names with South Asian origin as an homage to the Malayan tiger species. The names to choose from are…

• Nayla (NAY-la) meaning a winner, or one who goes ahead to get everything

• Mina (MEE nah) meaning one who is unrelenting and determined

• Seniya (seh-NI-yah) meaning one who is praiseworthy

• Indah (IN-dah) meaning beautiful one

• Cahya (KAI-yah or ka-HI-yah) meaning one who is the light in darkness

If you want to vote, you have to hurry! Voting ends Wednesday, January 31, 2024. The name that raises the most funds will be the selected name for the female cub.

As a 501-(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations directly support the care and feeding of the Jacksonville Zoo’s animals, and the protection of animals and plants around the world. The Zoo is matching up to $20,000 in donations through the naming contest.

The two siblings have been named by generous donors; the male is Machli (MOCK-lee), a world-renown tiger of the Ranthambore National Park, and the female is Beppy, named after a beloved family member.

Born to first-time father, Bashir, and third-time mother, Cinta, the cubs are the first Malayan tigers to be born at the Zoo. Not yet on exhibit, the cubs continue to bond well with mom behind-the-scenes. Until certain milestones are reached, a live video stream of the cub den will be shown at jacksonvillezoo.org/live-animal-cams.

“Our newest Malayan tiger ambassadors are a significant addition to the sustainability of their critically endangered species,” said Nikki Jackson Smith, Chief Philanthropy and Community Engagement Officer at Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens. “We are proud of our contribution in ensuring a viable and diverse population and want to share the honor with the community, and this cub naming is a great way for us to connect guests with wildlife and wild places.”

To donate $5 and vote for your favorite baby girl tiger name, click here!