There’s a new muskoxen calf at the zoo. He needs a name. That’s where you come in

It’s a boy!

The newest addition to Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is a male musk ox. He’s still unnamed, and the zoo is asking the public to help pick one.

The calf was born on June 7, but keepers were unable to get close enough to determine the calf’s sex before June 24.

In a news release, keeper Russell Pharr said the calf’s behavior had been typical of a male, and during a physical exam, the sex was confirmed.

“We’d been suspecting that for a few days, after he began some head-butting behaviors,” Pharr said. “That’s a typical instinct for male muskoxen, as later they’ll have to show their dominance for breeding.”

During the exam, keepers weighed the calf and make sure he’s healthy. They report he’s doing well and weighs 52 pounds, twice what he weighed at birth.

Pharr said the calf will get most of his nutrition from nursing for the next couple of months, but he’s also started grazing on grass with his mother, Charlotte.

The zoo is asking the public to vote on four potential names:

▪ Trebek: Alex Trebek, the host of Jeopardy, says the muskox is his favorite animal.

▪ Ollie: This name is in homage to the children’s game catchphrase “Olly olly oxen free.”

▪ Capra: Capra is derived from the scientific name for the muskoxen subfamily, Caprinae.

▪ Mak: This name an abbreviation of “oomingmak,” the name for muskoxen in the language of the Inupiaq people.

You can submit your vote at www.surveymonkey.com/r/MuskoxCalf. The survey will be open until July 8.

According to the press release, on June 29, Charlotte and her son were allowed to re-enter the Arctic Tundra area after keepers baby-proofed it for the calf.

Visitors will be able to see mom and baby when the pair chooses to roam in the Arctic Tundra area. The zoo reopened its outdoor exhibits with COVID-19 precautions in place on June

In the news release, Dr. Karen Wolf, head veterinarian, said the calf is doing well. “He appears quite healthy,” she said. “The veterinary team has been observing him regularly and he is very active and inquisitive, investigating his environment and starting to run around and demonstrate his spunky personality.”

This story was originally published July 1, 2020 at 11:00 AM.