DES MOINES, Iowa — A baby snow monkey at the Blank Park Zoo officially has a name.
The baby Japanese macaque was named Yumi following a silent auction for naming rights at the zoo's 2024 Safari Soiree. The event raised more than $150,000 in total.
The name Yumi originates in Japan and Korea and carries multiple meanings, including beauty, abundance and arrow.
"[The name] perfectly reflects her playful spirit and vibrant personality," the zoo said in a press release.
Yumi, who was born on Aug. 31, has "quickly captured the hearts of zoo staff and visitors alike," according to Blank Park Zoo.
Her mother, Miya, was born at Blank Park Zoo in April 2012. She has two other offspring: Gigi, born in 2017, and Shoyo, born in 2020.
The troop of macaques is part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan program, which began in 1981 and works to guarantee the health, stability and survival of many different species.
Find Yumi, Miya and the rest of the snow monkey troop near the carousel at Blank Park Zoo.
EDITOR NOTE: The below video originally aired Sept. 4, 2024
