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More than three dozen new babies have been born at the Phoenix Zoo in the past couple of months, and the newest arrival, two Grevy's zebras, prompt naming contest!

PHOENIX (May 20, 2010) – From tadpoles to a vulture, big horn sheep to prairie dogs, it is baby fever at the Phoenix Zoo! Over the last month, the Zoo has welcomed into the world dozens of babies.

The invasion began with four big horn sheep, one calf, two dozen prairie dogs, bands of tadpoles, a vulture, two White-fronted marmosets and the arrival of two Masai giraffes brought over from San Diego and Los Angeles.

The influx of babies continued with the most recent arrival of two baby Grevy's zebras!

"It is always exciting to see strong, healthy babies born at the Zoo, " says Phoenix Zoo President & CEO, Bert Castro. "It's a true testament to the hard work and dedication our staff put into their jobs to ensure the safety, longevity and care of these magnificent animals."

The two female Grevy's zebras are on display to the public along the Africa Trail. Both babies and mothers are doing well. Born to Masika and Afiya, the babies share Punda as their father.  This is the fourth foal for Masika and the fifth for Afiya. Masika's foal is playful, independent and loves to run and jump through the bushes of the exhibit. Afiya's foal is shy and reserved, but still enjoys kicking up her back feet. The most recent births mark the 16th and 17th Grevy's zebras to be born at the Zoo since 1987. 

With all of the recent additions to the Phoenix Zoo, keepers at the Zoo need some help in naming the two foals. "The naming contest will run through June 18th, " says Castro. "It is a great way to involve our guests in this exciting celebration and we enjoy input from the community."

Phoenix Zoo keepers have narrowed the selection down to five sets of names. You can vote for your favorite set of names at phoenixzoo.org. The winning names will be announced on Monday, June 21, 2010 on the Zoo's website, phoenixzoo.org.

• Amira – Swahili for "Princess" and Kirafiki –Swahili for "Friendly"
• Adia –African for "Being a Gift" and Akua –African for "Born on Wednesday"
• Shade –African for "Sweetly Singing"  and Kali – African for "Time" or "Black"
• Himeko – Japanese for "Princess Child" and Akira – Japanese for "Intelligent"
• Chloe – Greek for "Young Shoot" and Nkiruka – African for "A Good Future"

Grevy's zebras are endangered with less than 2, 500 left in the wild due to loss of habitat, competition with livestock and poaching. As the largest zebra species, Grevy's can be distinguished from other zebras by their longer legs, more narrow stripes, white, stripeless underbelly and large rounded ears. Grevy's zebras are only found in northern Kenya and south eastern Ethiopia.

The Phoenix Zoo is dedicated to saving Grevy's zebras through conservation in the wild and on Zoo grounds. The two female foals are the result of a breeding recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan, which ensures the genetic diversity of select species. The Phoenix Zoo is also a proud partner of the Grevy's Zebra Trust, an organization dedicated to the conservation of Grevy's zebras.

About the Phoenix Zoo
The Phoenix Zoo is a non-profit zoological park that serves 1.5 million guests annually. Home to more than 1, 300 animals and many endangered and threatened species, the Zoo is dedicated to providing experiences that inspire people and motivate them to care for the natural world.