In honour of ZSL Whipsnade Zoo’s patron, Queen Elizabeth II, the zoo named a baby elephant the Thai word for ‘Queen’. The late Queen once met the calf’s mum.
The conservation Zoo gave the privilege of naming the not-so-tiny infant to ZSL conservationists who work in Thailand, protecting endangered, Asian elephants in the wild. The conservationists chose the name Nang Phaya (pronounced ‘nang-pie-yah’), which is an animal-related Thai word meaning ‘queen, or strong, female monarch.
