Move over, Moo Deng! This Florida zoo has a new baby rhino, and you can help name it

Samantha Neely, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
·2-min read

If you've scrolled around social media anytime in the last two weeks, you've been introduced to Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus at a Thailand zoo.

Will the U.S. have its own baby animal celebrity soon? One Florida zoo is hoping to capitalize on the hype.

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a female Southern White Rhino calf to its "crash" on Sept. 1, weighing approximately 100 pounds at the time of birth.

You can see the baby rhino for yourself right here:

The Southern White Rhinoceros is native to the savannas of Kenya, Namibia, and Zimbabwe. The calf was born to Kisiri, one of the experienced mothers in the park's group of rhinos, and the mother-daughter duo have bonded over the last month. However, she doesn't have her own name … yet.

To celebrate the newest addition, Busch Gardens is holding online poll with three choices for her name. Here's how you can help pick the rhino calf's name.

What are the potential names for Busch Gardens\' baby rhino?

Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a female Southern White Rhino calf on Sept. 1, 2024. They are holding a naming competition for parkgoers.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay welcomed a female Southern White Rhino calf on Sept. 1, 2024. They are holding a naming competition for parkgoers.

Voters have three options to choose from:

  • Azizi - Means "Precious Treasure" in Swahili

  • Zahara - Means "Flower" in Swahili

  • Zina - Means "Secret/Beautiful" in Swahili

Help Busch Gardens name the new rhino calf: How to vote

To take part in the poll, you can click here to vote. It will remain open until Saturday, Sept. 28.

Where is Busch Gardens Tampa Bay located? Here\'s where you can see the baby rhino

The zoological theme park is located at 10165 N McKinley Drive in Tampa.

Busch Gardens officials shared that the pair has recently been introduced onto its veldt where guests can see them on the Serengeti Safari Tour.

"They have joined our diverse collection of African wildlife including zebra, ostrich, giraffe and several antelope species that reside in the park’s expansive 65-acre Serengeti Plain," they shared in a press release.

How much are tickets, annual passes to Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?

Single-day tickets for Busch Gardens are currently on sale for $94.99 from its usual $139.99. Two-day tickets are also on sale, $99.99 from $210.

Planning multiple trips to see the baby rhino (and also ride some of the top coasters in the country)? The park offers annual passes starting at $189, with prices and perks going up depending on the level.

How many animals are at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay?

Visitors can see a wide range of animals, like this sloth, at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility.
Visitors can see a wide range of animals, like this sloth, at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay, an Association of Zoos and Aquariums-accredited facility.

Tampa's Busch Gardens is accredited by the AZA and other top animal welfare organizations, with its website sharing that the park houses over 200 species of animals.

They also offer special encounters with some of the animals and tours, including its Animal Care Center. With its parent company, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, they shared they care for one of the world's largest zoological collections of more than 60,000 animals in total.

This article originally appeared on Sarasota Herald-Tribune: Baby white rhino born at Busch Gardens Tampa: How you can name it

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