CLEVELAND — CLEVELAND (AP) \u2014 A critically endangered rhino made its public debut Friday at a Cleveland zoo, dashing about its enclosure and giving a boost to the endangered species. <\/p>\n
The 120-pound (55-kilogram) eastern black rhino was born earlier this month to 22-year-old mother Kibibbi and 25-year-old father Forrest at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo. The zoo has a long history of caring for the species, which has fewer than 583 adults in the wild, alongside global partners.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe is very playful, runs around, gets the zoomies, so it\u2019s very fun to take care of him, especially when they\u2019re this age,\u201d animal keeper Stefanie Titterington said as the calf explored the Daniel Maltz Rhino Reserve.<\/p>\n
Alex Budinger, a zoo visitor, was thrilled to catch a glimpse of the rhino that has not yet been named. The zoo is holding a contest for guests to choose from one of three names \u2014 Makena, Kenza or Kamari.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re zoo members. We come here all the time, so we\u2019re very excited that there\u2019s a new baby to come and check out and we thought it was a great day to come out and see the rhino,” Budinger said. “It\u2019s adorable and we enjoy coming and seeing it do some enrichment and chew up some pumpkins.\u201d<\/p>\n