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By Cathy Gregos Busch Gardens Tampa Bay On October 11, 2004, Busch Gardens Tampa Bay celebrated the birth of the first white rhino born at the park. The 130-pound female calf's birth came after a 16-month gestation and brings the park's white and black rhinoceros population to 11. An invitation to help name the calf was extended to visitors to Busch Gardens' Web site. With 5,000 people voting online, "Malaika," the Swahili word for "angel," emerged as the top choice. The zookeepers agree the name is a perfect fit. "Malaika is doing really well and gaining weight at a phenomenal pace," said Jason Green, lead zookeeper at Busch Gardens. "She's gaining between three and four pounds a day." The baby rhino was born to mother Mlelani (pronounced Mah-la-nee) and father Tombo. The two white rhinos, along with another female rhino, were translocated from Kruger National Park in South Africa in 2001 through the efforts of the International Rhino Foundation (IRF), a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection of rhinos. Busch Gardens also has long cared for at the park. The black and white rhinos are part of the American Zoo and Aquarium Association's Species Survival Plan, a program intended to assure genetic diversity among threatened and endangered animals cared for in zoological facilities. All five species of rhino - white, black, Sumatran, Indian and Javan - are endangered or threatened with the risk of extinction. Although the white rhinoceros is the most numerous of all five species, the IRF estimates their population in the wild at only 11,100 individuals, with fewer than 50 of the Northern subspecies remaining. The Indian, Sumatran and Javan rhinos all are native to Asia, and their wild populations range from 60 individuals to about 2,400. All rhinoceros populations have declined due to habitat destruction and poaching for their horns. Some cultures believe the rhino's horn holds medicinal qualities. Interestingly, the horn is not a true horn at all. It is composed of condensed keratin, the same protein found in hair and fingernails.

According to Green, every successful birth contributes to the conservation of these at-risk animals. Everyone at This gentle herbivore can reach a weight of two tons, as much as a sport utility vehicle, and they generally measure between 11 and 14 feet. Mlelani and Malaika live on Busch Gardens' north veldt. Guests can see the rhinos up close on the park's "Saving-A-Species Tour," a 45-minute behind-the-scenes experience that highlights the conservation efforts of Busch Gardens and World Wildlife Fund. A portion of the tour proceeds benefit WWF's species research and conservation projects. Guests can also see the rhinos from the park's Skyride, train and Rhino Rally attraction. It's not really white, is it? The white rhino derived its name from the Dutch word "weit," meaning wide. The name is a reference to their wide upper lip. White rhinos are one of the largest grazers in the world and help aid in seed dispersal throughout the African grasslands.