SYDNEY, June 23 (Xinhua) -- An Asian elephant calf born four weeks ago at Taronga Zoo in Sydney, has been named Jai Dee on Friday.
Jai Dee's mother Pak Boon, his sister Tukta and aunt Tang Mo were also among the special guests at naming ceremony.
The name, meaning "Good Heart," was chosen by a local philanthropist, Janis Salisbury.
"She became ill and we knew that she wouldn't be able to see the birth of the calf, so we allowed her to select a name before she passed away," director of wildlife conservation and science at Taronga Zoo, Simon Duffy, told Xinhua on Friday.
"Her father owned a carpet business a long time ago and their advertising campaign suggested their carpet was so tough even an elephant could stand on it."
"So they often worked with the zoo on developing their campaign."
In later years Salisbury became known as "the elephant grandma" and was a key supporter in the Zoo's elephant breeding program which began in 2006.
The Zoo collaborated with the Thai government to fine some domesticated elephants that could start an Australian herd.
There were four chosen for Taronga in Sydney and since then there have been 10 calves born in both Sydney and Melbourne.
As well as being a favorite with visitors at the zoo, the elephant program is considered as extremely important in regard to global conservation.
"They are endangered with only 30,000 to 35,000 left in the wild and in Thailand there are believed to be less than 3,000," Duffy said.
