NC Zoo needs your help to name baby rhino
The North Carolina Zoo needs your help to name one of its baby rhinos. The calf, who arrived Feb. 24, was the second rhino birth at the zoo this year and the fourth in the last two years. She was born to mom Linda and dad Stormy and weighed in at a whopping 80 to 90 pounds at birth.
Check out this adorable video of the rhino learning to stand about a month ago ...
The zoo's rhino keepers have selected four possible names for the little (big) one. Now they're asking the public to pick their favorite. Here are the options:
- Rubybelle (ru-bee-bell): name of a young female rhino rescued after her mother was poached in South Africa
- Etosha (ee-toe-sha): for Etosha National Park in Namibia where the zoo has an anti-poaching conservation program.
- Jojo (joe-joe): one of the keepers of rhino Sudan, the last male northern white rhino, at Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya. Jojo and Sudan’s story was featured in the documentary movie "Kifaru" which showed at RiverRun International Film Festival in 2019.
- Kendi (ken-dee): African origin – means loved one in Swahili
Voting opens in the online poll at noon, Friday, April 17, and closes at 4 p.m., Friday, April 24. It's free to participate. According to the zoo announcement, a special surprise guest will announce the winning name on May 4.
"We can't tell you who it is, here's a hint -- while this baby rhino is a "second," the special guest announcing the name is a 'first,'" according to the press release.
The zoo's first rhino this year, born in early January, was named Mguu in early March, a name that was inspired by her big feet. On top of caring for baby rhinos and all of the other animals at the zoo, staff also has been busy rolling out activities as part of its Virtual Visit program.
