BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo’s Baby Rhino Has a Name
Zoo Introduces Baby Zuri

The results are in and BREC’s Baton Rouge Zoo is excited to announce that our baby rhino has a name – Zuri. Zuri means “beautiful” in Swahili.
The name was selected over Lela, meaning “black beauty” in Swahili and Makena, meaning “happy one” in Kikuyu.
Participants cast their votes at Whole Foods Market at Towne Center and at the Zoo. Zuri received 1,103 votes of the 2,370 votes cast between November 23 and 29.
To celebrate the naming, the three finalists and their families were invited to attend Santa Safari at the Zoo, Saturday, December 5. The Zoo announced the winner, and treated her to a behind-the-scenes tour to meet baby Zuri.
Zuri was born September 28 to 21-year-old female Gemstone. Her father is Tatu, age 12. More than 600 names were submitted to the Zoo during the first phase of the naming contest. Zoo Keepers narrowed the finalists to Zuri, Lela and Makena.
The Zoo invites you to visit baby Zuri. She is currently on exhibit with her mom during regular Zoo hours.