Just a few weeks ago, as the sun started to rise on a cool day in late February, Disney’s Animal Kingdom welcomed its second white rhino calf of 2015 into the herd! This one’s a girl and it’s the tenth white rhino baby to be born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom!
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As we welcome this newest baby and work to deliver uncompromising excellence in animal care for the animals here at the park and across The Walt Disney Company, we haven’t forgotten about their relatives in the wild. Last year, rhinos faced the worst poaching in history, so we continue to support conservation efforts for this and many other vulnerable species around the world. Much long term work to save this species is needed in the wild, but it’s important to celebrate small victories and our animal care team definitely has much to celebrate with seemingly back-to-back white rhino calves born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom this year.
While our newest mom and calf won’t make their debut out on the savannas of the Harambe Wildlife Reserve for a couple of months, our newest calf needs a name and this time the choice is yours! The animal care team narrowed it down to four options, so please help us choose which name you like best for her.
Take a look at the heart-warming pictures in the photo gallery and choose your favorite name below. Be sure to rally your friends to make sure your favorite name wins!
Voting will remain open until 11:59 p.m. on Thursday, March 26. We’ll reveal the winning name soon after that!
Tell us which name you voted for and why in the comments below.
Comments
Jamin–
We be jammin with Jamin
I voted for Jama…. because she’s so cute, curious and friendly!! 😀
Alora — our daughter’s name is Aislyn which is Irish for “our dream” and Disney is the place where dreams come true!
What better dream than a healthy new baby, starting a new life!
Welcome, Alora!
My vote is for Kiama! 🙂 I think that innovates the #DisneySide of Disney-born princesses which in our world, represents a baby Rhino!
Kiama! Which is a magical place in Australia!
I voted for Kiama because I think it is magical that a new member of this endangered species is going to live and thrive at her new Animal Kingdom home!
Alora ….After all it was Walt Disney’s Dream to have an Animal park.
Where I come from, Australia, a sea side town called KIAMA was recently declared ‘The most desirable place on Earth!’ Therefore it is very apt that our new friend should share the name of our town. It means Magic and that’s the point…pardon the Rhino pun!
Kiama!
Coming to you from a wonderful seaside town on the South Coast of NSW called KIAMA!!!! SO we all vote for KIAMA. Cos, we think we’re we are is a little piece of magic too!!!!
I vote for Kiama. It is a magical place on the south coast of Australia in NSW.
Kiira: because her life and new hope (dawn) for the species rose with the sun. Hope she’s on the savanna in May.
Kiama: It is a magical thing that endangered white rhinos have a place to live and prosper. Welcome Kiama! 🙂
I choose Kiira meaning the dawn because I heard she was born at dawn! She is absolutely beautiful, I wish her a happy & healthy life at WDW.
Jama – meaning “friend”
I was going to suggest Gumu – swahili for “tough”
I chose Kiira meaning “the dawn” as this newborn white rhino represents the dawn of a new generation for this highly endangered species that DAK and other zoos/parks are trying to keep from disappearing from the face of the earth. Its because of humans that these magnificent creatures are facing extinction in the wild, and its up to us to again return them to ever increasing numbers.
I picked Kiira…a new dawn…in the hope that the World finally works together to takes enough major steps to protect the quality of life for future generations on this planet.
Kiama Magical place to be born.
She is kiama, no matter her name. How magical for us to be able to see such a beautiful, exotic, and magical living creature.
Alora! Great name!
Alora! Disney is where dreams come true!
My granddaughter Savannah thought she should be name Megan which means great and mighty
A beautiful new baby born on the dawn of a new day,nothing more to be said Kiira.
Kiira – meaning “the dawn” my favorite from the available names.
Since Kiira means the dawn.. and she was born at the beginning of the morning. Seems to be very fitting for this new baby girl.
KIAMA! The most magical place to be born!
I may be a little biased here, but I think Alora would be a great choice!!
name should be Tumaini….means “Hope” in Swahili
First, Congratulations to Disney and the great staff at Animal Kingdom for your tremendous conservation efforts. Standing ovation – I had no idea!
Welcome Kiira!!!
The dawn of a new generation, and generations to come!
Serendipity?
Is Kiira my fellow Aquarian? Perhaps Kiira is the soul sister of my friend Biira?
Two years ago, I had the humbling privilege of meeting 5 month old Biira, a white horned Rhino, while vacationing in Nepal. He was being nursed back to health by the wonderful local conservationaists of Chitwan National Park, after being saved by his mother who died protecting him from a tiger attack. Like the good people of Nepal, I am very impressed by the conservation efforts of Disney. Namaste!
Kiama! Magic is magic, and it’s magical this species gets to live on at Animal Kingdom.
Welcome to the blog Ms. Karen!
She is the dawning of a new generation.
Matumaini – Hope in Swahili.
Kiama for simply magical
…ooops, …I meant to say “the dawn!” Either way, …hopefully this will bode well for putting an end to whatever is causing the white rhino population to decrease so rapidly.
New Dawn is appropriate, as hopefully this birth is a sign of a new dawn on the successful breeding of the white rhinos in captivity!
Ahhhhhh, has to be Kiira, my daughter’s name, born as the sun started to rise! Can’t wait to see her next month! We’re staying at Animal Lodge!
Jama. Just as soon as I read friend, I started hearing Randy Newman’s You Got a Friend in Me in my head, so it’s gotta be Jama
I love the moms name, Kendi….why not name the baby after its mom and call it Mendi…….It looks like a Mendi…cute
We have decided that a better name for this little guy is Keytee.
Kiira – meaning “the dawn” she was born at dawn
I am getting a message that I have voted too many times…this was my first time trying to vote for Kiama.
Kiira … our amazing catcher from our softball team is having surgery today and headed for college in August. We are so proud of her, it seems fitting to name such a beautiful creature after an amazingly beautiful girl and teammate.
Is Magical, my vote goes for his name to be Kiama 🙂
Jama (friend). While the other names were cool, “friend” seemed to be a better fit. My though is that it would literally convey the sense of friendship. Frienship to her fellow animals (to include her future human visitors) and friendship to the world around her.
it is magical that she was born and that is what Disney is magical
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