Zoo monkey no longer 'Obama'
2009-07-10 20:13
Dresden - A German zoo changed the name of one of its monkeys on Friday from "Obama" to "Okeke" after a black group warned the original name implied a racial slur.
The newborn mandrill was named Obama this March, in honour, zookeepers said, of US President Barack Obama.
A Dresden Zoo spokesperson said the new name took effect on Friday and confirmed a report on an English-language website, The Local. Obama visited Dresden last month.
Tahir Della of the Initiative for Black Germans (ISD) was quoted as saying: "Black people continue to be confronted by associations with the animal kingdom and primitivity."
The zoo said it chooses names beginning with the same letter for all newborn animals in any one year. In 2009 that letter was O and a keeper thought "Obama" would be a positive tribute to the US president.
The Local said the zoo had initially apologised for any upset but had not taken any action over the protest.
- SAPA