By MOOK Travel Life Net’s Chen Guanxin, compiled and reported
The online naming poll "Let’s Choose a Good Name Together" for the Taipei giant panda cub, jointly organized by the Taipei City Government’s Department of Information and Tourism and the Taipei Zoo, ended on the evening of October 15. Over 75,000 members of the public participated in the vote. As expected, the name "Yuan Zai" received the highest number of votes—over 45,000, accounting for more than 60% of the total votes—making it the most popular and adorable vote-getter. The other names were ranked as follows: "Yuan Bao," "Yuan Zai Hua," "Fen Yuan," "Tuanyuan," and "Tang Yuan."
Giant panda cub gets her name, with "Yuan Zai" taking the top spot in popularity. (Photo source / from the official website of the Taipei Zoo)
The Department of Information and Tourism stated that since the "Let’s Choose a Good Name Together" panda cub naming poll opened for online voting on September 14, it has attracted many participants daily. During the campaign, two rounds of thank-you gifts were given away to boost enthusiasm: 50 VIP priority visit tickets to see the panda cub and 370 hot spring and spa vouchers worth over NT$100,000 in total. Over 75,000 people took part in the month-long poll. Although the result was as expected—with "Yuan Zai" winning the majority of votes, accounting for over 60%—the vote count fluctuated dramatically throughout the process. The most thrilling moment came in the final stage when "Yuan Bao" surpassed "Yuan Zai" in daily votes for 10 consecutive days. In the end, "Yuan Bao" came in second place with over 30% of the votes. The other names also each garnered support from thousands of voters, ranking as follows: "Yuan Zai Hua," "Fen Yuan," "Tuanyuan," and "Tang Yuan."
The Department of Information and Tourism said that the lottery for the naming poll will take place before October 26. Winners will be contacted as soon as possible after the draw, and prizes will be sent out promptly. Meanwhile, the zoo is also planning to issue a baby ID card for the panda cub during its anniversary celebration on October 26.
● Further Reading:
2013 Hot Spring Season: Warm Spring Spots Across Taiwan
http://goo.gl/IR2waj