The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden said "hello" to an adorable new addition to the family last Friday (Aug. 21), and after a week of getting situated, the zoo announced today that baby rhino is a boy — and that sweet little boy needs a name.
The zoo is celebrating their new buddy by throwing a virtual baby shower, and asking friends of the zoo to purchase a "baby shower gift" to help provide funding for the baby rhino and his family's care.
This is where your rhino-naming skills comes into play.
Each gift purchase comes with the chance to name the new baby, meet the rest of the rhinos (for you and three friends or family members) and receive a one-of-a-kind Rhino Rembrandt painting. You will receive a link to the virtual shower upon purchase.
“This is a rare calf and a rare naming opportunity! The rhino team named the calf born in 2017 (Kendi) and definitely had some ideas for this one,” said Cincinnati Zoo’s curator of mammals Christina Gorsuch in a press release.
“Knowing the importance of the fundraising this year, we all agreed that offering this special honor to a Zoo supporter would be good for everyone. Part of the agreement, however, is that the name must be mutually agreed upon by winner and Zoo staff. So, we won’t end up with a ‘Rhino McRhinoface’.”
According to the press release, the $100 gift will help cover the cost of one week's worth of orchard grass, alfalfa hay, apples, bananas, sweet potatoes, apple and oat biscuits and Vitamin E a rhino consumes.
Groups can also go in on the gift together, according to the release.
The gifts can be purchased from now until Sept. 27, and the name will be announced on Oct. 1.
The unnamed baby rhino is Seyia and Faru's second calf, and he's a spunky little guy who wants to "spar when mom just wants to rest." Which can be seen in this very adorable video provided by the zoo.
“Eastern black rhinos are critically endangered and have such a long gestation that every calf born is incredibly important for the population,” said Gorsuch. “This calf is the first black rhino calf born this year in North America and only the third of its kind born in the last three years in North America.”
Visitors to the zoo can look forward to seeing the baby and his mom in their outdoor habitat in the next few weeks, depending on the weather.
Follow the Cincinnati Zoo on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for baby boy updates.
