Busch Gardens' New White Rhino Calf Receives a Name

After a two-week-long poll, Facebook fans of Busch Gardens Tampa Bay have named the park’s newest member, a southern white rhino calf. After a close tally, the winning name for the almost one-month-old rhino is Nyota (pronounced "Knee-yotah") which means “star”. The animal care team of Busch Gardens has successfully introduced Nyota (as well as her mother Kasiri) to the rest of the park’s southern white rhinoceros herd, on the Serengeti Plain habitat.

“Kasiri and Nyota are doing well on the Serengeti Plain. Nyota is exploring her environment and is developing as expected. She is having fun exploring mud holes, fighting with palm fronds and seems to enjoy showing the other rhinos and animals on the Serengeti Plain how tough she is. Nyota is full of energy and curiosity, she loves running around and showing off hers bucks and hops for guests on the train or tour trucks,” said Jason Green, assistant curator at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. 

The birth is part of Busch Gardens’ participation in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ (AZA) Species Survival Plan® (SSP). The mission of the SSP is to cooperatively manage specific species populations within AZA-accredited facilities.

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