Syracuse zoo's new baby elephant is introduced to public

PHOTOGRAPHER: The Associated Press

This photo taken Tuesday, May 12, 2015, and provided by the Rosamond Gifford Zoo shows a baby elephant born at the zoo in Syracuse, N.Y.

A baby elephant born earlier this month at the zoo in Syracuse has had its coming out party. Now all it needs is a name.

Onondaga County Executive Joanie Mahoney joined the staff at the Rosamond Gifford Zoo on Tuesday to introduce the Asian elephant baby to the community.

Mali, the baby’s mother, gave birth to a 281-poiund, 3-foot-tall male calf early on the morning of May 12. The zoo on Tuesday launched its online contest for naming the new calf. A committee at the zoo will select the top five names from those suggested by 4 p.m. Saturday on the zoo’s website: rosamondgiffordzoo.org.

The calf is on view at the Asian Elephant Preserve.

Another of the zoo’s elephants is pregnant and likely to give birth in the next few weeks.