The arrival of three zebras at the Hope Zoo has created quite a buzz since their release from confinement earlier this month.

The zebras, two females and a male, all less than a year old, are the first in history to grace the island.

The Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation (HZPF) has teamed up with broadband provider Flow, to give two lucky Jamaicans the opportunity to name the newest additions to the Hope Zoo family.

Flow hosted the competition on its Flow Jamaica Facebook page until Friday, April 5. The persons who come up with the most creative names for the zebras will win the grand prize of Hope Zoo giftcertificates for family of four, a one-month Gymkhana gym membership and gift basket from Flow.Runners-up will also win prizes of Flow gift packages. The winning names will be selected from a panel of judges representing the Hope Zoo Preservation Foundation and Flow and will be announced on Wednesday.

biodiversity project

The HZPF successfully acquired the animals from Six Flags Great Adventure and Safari in New Jersey, as a part of its continued thrust to foster animal diversity in Jamaica under its biodiversity project.

"If we fail to action and support sustainable solutions to keep our animals safe, we'd be tragically failing ourselves and our future generations. I invite Jamaicans to participate in the revival of the Hope Zoo," said Kenny Benjamin, executive chairman of the HZPF. "I would like to wholeheartedly thank Flow for its display of exemplary corporate and social responsibility, by coming aboard as the first corporate partner. Flow's involvement has added to the First-World standards at Hope Zoo. Thanks to Flow, the entire zoo facility now has wireless Internet connection."

Columbus Communications Jamaica Limited, operators of Flow, used the social-media competition to bring awareness of the work being done to restore the zoo.

"We are very proud to be a part of the work being done at the zoo and we encourage other corporate companies to get involved, and for schools to take advantage of the education opportunities the Hope Zoo provides," said Denise Williams, director for corporate communications for Columbus.

This initiative is only one of several that the company will undertake as part of its $25-million partnership with the HZPF.

The primary outcome of the partnership and investment will be a technology-driven Learning and Resource Centre which will be the centrepiece of the zoo's education programme and will enable integration with the science curriculum in Jamaica's schools.