Congratulations are in order! Busch Gardens has announced the birth of a baby southern white rhino.
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay just welcomed a new southern white rhino baby boy. Just because he's a baby, doesn't mean he's small, as this guy weighs in already at 150 pounds. This unnamed baby rhino will be joining his mom Kisiri on the Serengeti Plain at the park along with zebra, ostrich, giraffe and antelope.
Busch Gardens is reaching out to fans of the park to help name the rhino calf. There's a poll with three names to choose from: Viazi, Vumbi and Bahati and you can pick your favorite from now through October 21.
Within the next few days, the rhino calf will join the herd on the Serengeti plain and he'll be growing fast, at a rate of about 100 pounds per month. The southern white rhino, when full grown, stand more than six feet and weight up to 5,000 pounds. Unfortunately, the species is listed at near threatened status by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, but Busch Gardens is helping to manage the population and protect these species from becoming extinct.
If you want to get even closer to these animals, Busch Gardens offers a 30 minute Serengeti Safari tour led by an expert guide that gives you an opportunity to hand-feed giraffe.
