Methods for assigning names to players from First FC Union football club
In a unique collaboration, the Berlin Zoo and Bundesliga football club, 1. FC Union Berlin, have named their Red Panda cubs, Lisa Hari and Freddy Kumar. The naming of these cubs, born in the Berlin Zoo, was a result of a three-person jury's decision, consisting of representatives from Union Berlin's board, the zoo's zoology department, and the social media team.
The names of these cubs are a tribute to two players of 1. FC Union Berlin - Lisa Heiseler, the 2024 Player of the Year, and Frederik Rönnow, the Player of the Year for 2023. The middle names Hari and Kumar are common in the countries where the Red Panda species originates, namely northern India and the mountainous regions of Nepal, Bhutan, Burma, and China.
Over 700 name suggestions were submitted for the Red Panda cubs at the Berlin Zoo. However, it was Lisa Hari and Freddy Kumar that caught the jury's attention, reflecting the club's spirit and the cubs' origins.
- FC Union Berlin has been the official godfather of the Red Pandas at the Berlin Zoo for the past five years through its "UNION VEREINT. Shoulder to Shoulder" foundation. This foundation has also been involved in the care of the Red Pandas at the zoo.
Tierpark and Zoo Director Andreas Knieriem stated that every cub is a significant contribution to the preservation of the Red Panda species, which is critically endangered, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
This Saturday marks World Red Panda Day, an event aimed at raising awareness about the critically endangered Red Panda species. The collaboration between the Berlin Zoo and 1. FC Union Berlin serves as a reminder of the importance of conservation efforts and the power of partnerships in preserving endangered species.
