VTB Bank has initiated a public voting campaign across its social media platforms to select a name for a newly identified Far Eastern leopard cub, a critically endangered species native to Russia’s pristine landscapes. This initiative underscores the growing global emphasis on wildlife conservation and corporate social responsibility, drawing attention to one of the world’s rarest big cats.
This marks the third offspring of Gerda, a matriarch leopard residing within Russia’s “Land of the Leopard” National Park near Vladivostok. These magnificent felines are renowned for their elusive nature, making direct observation exceedingly rare. For an extended period, the cub’s gender remained a mystery to scientists. However, a recent camera trap video finally captured the young leopard traversing the Amur Bay coastline near the Sandy Peninsula, confirming it to be a healthy male, approximately two years old, thriving in an area abundant with prey.
VTB Bank has been a committed patron of the Far Eastern leopards for several years, holding the distinguished title of “Leopard Guardian” since 2023. This latest engagement follows previous successful naming contests for Gerda and her two other cubs. For this particular cub, VTB’s own IT team was involved in conceptualizing a unique selection of names, inviting a broader audience, including participants of the Data Fusion 2026 conference, to cast their votes.
The five proposed names reflect a blend of mythology, science, and technology, symbolizing the intricate connection between human innovation and nature. These include Dion, inspired by the ancient Greek god of nature and life force, with a nod to AI’s role in uncovering hidden truths; Fusion, representing the synergy of technology and wilderness; Vern, honoring Vladimir Vernadsky’s concept of the noosphere, uniting intellect and nature; Cosmic, in tribute to Nikolai Fyodorov, the father of Russian cosmism, advocating for humanity’s role in preserving all forms of life; and Prometheus, the mythical titan who brought fire, symbolizing knowledge and progress.
Public voting is open from April 7th to 9th through the Data Fusion VK community, with additional opportunities available on April 8th and 9th at the Data Fusion 2026 conference in Moscow. The chosen name will be officially announced on April 10th across VTB’s official social media channels, further cementing the bank’s dedication to the preservation of this iconic species and its habitat, alongside the existing leopard family members, Phoenix and Sierra.