A menagerie of candidacies

Addy
(Cow)
Age: 7
Family: None. She has not been impregnated since a traumatic miscarriage a few years ago.
Party: Franklin Farm
''Being independent and single gives her more time to focus on politics."
-- Stacey Goldsmith Nathanson, campaign manager and lead keeper of the Children's Zoo at Franklin Park

Beau
(Giraffe)
Age: 7
Family: Mated with Jana and has a 6-week-old calf, Autumn.
Party: Giraffe Savannah
''Given his stature, he takes the long view on things."
-- John Linehan, current president of Zoo New England

Christopher
(Lion)
Age: 13
Family: None. His companion, Cliff, died last year from kidney failure.
Party: Kalahari Kingdom
''He's older, he's wiser, he's well-seasoned. He's seen a lot in life, and he's very comfortable with himself."
-- Pearl Yusuf, the campaign manager and an assistant curator of hooves and horns.

Evita
(Zebra)
Age: 10
Family: No steady mate but has two calves, aged 5 months and 2 years.
Party: Serengeti Crossing
''She doesn't buckle under peer pressure."
-- Pearl Yusuf, the assistant curator of hooves and horns.

Kiki
(Gorilla)
Age: 24
Family: Mated with Kitombe and has two offspring, ages 6 and 1.
Party: Tropical Forest
''She's a mom and she's a leader. She's proven that you can can have it all."
-- Jeannine Jackle, campaign manager and the assistant curator of the Tropical Forest.

Spot
(Anaconda)
Age: 23
Party affiliation: Bird's World
''Spot stands -- or would stand if she had legs -- for the disenfranchised animals, the so-called second-tier animals (cockroaches, scorpions, geckos, crocodiles, etc.) that . . . don't usually get attention, and if they do, it's usually negative."
-- Ed O'Brien, campaign manager and the assistant curator of the bird house.