A British zoo has named a white rhino calf in honor of Queen Elizabeth II, British media reported on Saturday as the monarch celebrated his 70th birthday on the throne.
Queenie is the newest addition to the rhino family at Cotswold Wildlife Park & Gardens, a zoo located in the gardens and park of a 19th-century mansion in Oxfordshire, England.
“Perfect name for a young rhino lady”
“All the rhinos here are named after very special people and I think everyone agrees that 2022 will always be special because of Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee,” park chief Reggie Hayworth said in a statement.
“I thought it might be a little arrogant to call our new baby ‘Elizabeth,’ so I christened her ‘Queenie.’ I think she’s the perfect name for a young Rhino lady!” he added.
Queenie is the ninth White Rhinoceros calf born at the zoo and visitors will be able to see it at home and in the park yard.
The rhino is not the only birth associated with the royal family at the zoo. A Bactrian camel was named after Queen Louis’ great-grandson, as they were born on the same day.
White rhinos were on the verge of extinction in the early 1900s, with only about 20 to 50 remaining in their African homeland.
The numbers have recovered somewhat since they were offered protection. Even so, captive births remain rare, the wildlife park said.
Only five white rhinos were born in the United Kingdom last year and 12 at European zoos, the park said.
According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the other four species of rhinos are either critically endangered or considered endangered in the wild.
Many products are called Queen
The Queenie combines a plate of chicken, a cake, ships, trains and a number of buildings around the world named in honor of the monarch.
Elizabeth, 95, is celebrating her Platinum Jubilee with dozens of celebrations expected this summer.
But he suffered from poor health, including a mild period of COVID-19.
The monarch was forced to cancel a Commonwealth Day performance at Westminster Abbey on Monday.
With material from the AFP news agency
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