Hong Kong’s Ocean Park has christened a 1.9-metre crocodile found last April in Yuen Long “Passion,” following a public vote on its name.
The theme park announced the crocodile’s name at a ceremony on Tuesday. The name Passion received the most votes in a Facebook poll that also included Bo Bo, Harmony, Hope and Lotus.
Ocean Park said that the crocodile, which is estimated to be around four year old, will be living in a new facility next to the park’s entrance, meaning that members of the public would not have to pay to see it.
The park added that the name Passion is short for passionfruit, the Cantonese term for which is similar to Pat Heung, where the reptile was discovered last April.
“This connection emphasises the energetic nature of the crocodile, captured by the word ‘Passion,’” the park said in a press release announcing the poll.
“Furthermore, ‘Passion’ represents the Park’s dedication to ecological conservation upon the crocodile’s arrival.”
Last April, the crocodile was transferred from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) to Ocean Park after residents in Yuen Long reported the wild animal to authorities.
The park said then that the crocodile was female, measuring approximately 1.9 metre in length and weighing around 35 kg. It added that the crocodile’s species was not native to Hong Kong.
Paulo Pong, the chairperson of Ocean Park, said during Tuesday’s ceremony that he hoped visitors could become aware of the risks that foreign animal species could bring to the city’s ecological system, local media outlets reported.
Speaking at the same event, Mickey Lai, a deputy director at the AFCD, said he hoped the crocodile would become “an ambassador” promoting ecological preservation and diversity. It would also remind residents to care about animals and not to smuggle or illegally keep endangered species.
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