Story By: Michael Leidig, Sub Editor: Joseph Golder, Agency: Central European News

Credit: CEN/@safari_park93

This cute baby lemur rejected by its mother has been given the name Covid by carers.

Revealing the decision to hand rear Covid and give it the controversial name, staff at the Krasnodar Safari Park, which like all attractions with animals, is struggling to survive during the movement restrictions and lack of visitors, said they wanted to mark the fact that it was born at a difficult time.

They said in an Instagram post on Wednesday: “The little lemur was born the day before yesterday, and unfortunately rejected by his mother so we have decided to feed him. We called him Covid to mark the difficult time in which he was born.”

The park is located in the Russian Krasnodar Krai region and the idea was not appreciated by everyone, who accused the zoo of being reckless when the ring-tailed baby lemur (Lemur catta) was born and interfering too much – scaring the mother and forcing her to abandon the youngster.

They noted that the zoo was already feeding the baby milk, washing it and giving it a huge teddy bear.

Others objected to the name itself, with one writing: “Such a cutie, it’s only a pity that he has a name like that, this word has brought too much pain and tears.”

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