Zoo’s baby elephant has a name: Beco

Thousands pay Mother’s Day tribute to zoo’s new arrival

By Mary Beth Lane
THE COLUMBUS DISPATCH

Beco is the name chosen for the baby elephant born March 27 at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, but it is fair to say that “adorable” will be uttered as often as his name.

“Adorable,” along with “cute” or simply “awwww,” comes first to the lips of the cooing visitors who go all googly-eyed at the sight of the baby elephant, and snap pictures of him and his mother.

Melanie Celello of Westerville kisses daughter Annmarie, 2. Celello suggested the winning name.

So it was yesterday, on Mother’s Day, when mothers got into the zoo for free. More than 15,000 people visited the zoo, many lining up to see the baby. Seeing the baby elephant was what some of the moms wanted for Mother’s Day.

Zoo officials announced his name yesterday. The name — pronounced BEE-co — received 6,064 votes, almost half of the 12,783 votes cast. It is a combination of the names of the baby elephant’s parents, mother Phoebe and father Coco.

“I like it,” said 9-year-old Alex Groger. He saw Beco for the first time yesterday with his 5-year-old brother, Zack, and their parents, Kathleen and Chuck, of the North Side.

“He was very cute,” Mrs. Groger said. “I can’t imagine 655 days, though.”

That’s how long Phoebe was pregnant.

And what mother could imagine producing 3 gallons a day of breast milk? That’s what Phoebe delivers to baby Beco, who will nurse for two years.

No wonder he gains 3.3 pounds a day. Born at 303 pounds, he weighed 410 pounds as of Thursday.

KELLIE MANIERdispatch photos Beco holds trunks with his mom, Phoebe. The calf's name was announced at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium yesterday. "Beco" is a combination of Phoebe's name and Beco's father's name, Coco.

He has a brisk stride when walking across the enclosure, but he also likes to stay close to his mother, sometimes leaning his head against her leg, other times nuzzling his trunk with hers, as if they were rubbing noses.

“He’s adorable!” said Cindy Linley, a West Side resident who was visiting the zoo with her family as her Mother’s Day gift. Her 10-year-old twins, Hannah and Tristan Simms, thought the baby elephant was “cute.”

The zoo received more than 11,000 entries for the naming contest. Four names were chosen for a final vote: Beco, Sattva, Damai and Siddhartha.

Melanie Celello of Westerville was named the grand-prize winner after her name was drawn out of a hat. She and two others had submitted the name Beco. Celello wins a one-year zoo membership and other prizes.

“He was very cute. I can’t imagine 655 days, though.”
Kathleen Groger
on how long Phoebe was pregnant

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