GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Wyatt and Wasabi’s second litter of red panda cubs now have names!
John Ball Zoo (JBZ) announced the male cub will go by Dawa and the female cub will be called Nima. The names were determined as a result of a community-wide vote.
In Bhutanese, “dawa” means “moon” and “nima” means “sun,” the zoo explains.
“We are thrilled to introduce Dawa and Nima and are so excited to watch them grow and thrive at John Ball Zoo,” says Education Manager Rhiannon Mulligan. “We are also proud that the names of these cubs reflect the places and cultures where red pandas come from, which helps spread awareness about the wildlife and wild places we can continue preserving around the world.”
We’re told the new cubs are significant in ensuring the species’ survival. Red panda populations around the world have dropped by 50% in the last 20 years.
Dawa and Nima made their exhibit debut at JBZ earlier this month.
READ MORE: Red panda cubs make exhibit debut at John Ball Zoo
