New camel calf named after female conservationist
A Bactrian camel calf has been born at a zoo and named after the first woman to become a fellow of the Zoological Society of London (ZSL).
Sophia, named after Sophia Raffles who joined the conservation charity ZSL in 1826, was born at Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire on 21 March.
The camel joins her sister Sally, who was born in 2024, and her 10-month-old half-brother Ivor, to bring the camel herd's population at the zoo to eight.
There are less than 950 wild camels left in the deserts of Mongolia and China, according to the ZSL, which runs Whipsnade Zoo.
Christina Risbridger, Whipsnade Zoo's camel keeper, said: "Sophia, just like her namesake's emphasis on access to education, will be vital for teaching our visitors about the threats facing wild camels and what people can do to help."
Follow Beds, Herts and Bucks news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
