Uganda's newest baby rhino now has a name

Uganda's newest baby rhino has been given a name.

According to a statement issued today, the baby rhino that was born on Saturday at the Ziwa Rhino Sanctuary in Nakasongola district will now be called Ruparelia.

"When I went there with my wife, we decided we should give something back and decided to sponsor the rhino, and my wife decided under the foundation (Ruparelia Foundation) to name the rhino Ruparelia," Rajiv Ruparelia, the Managing Director Ruparelia Group said.

The businessman also revealed that the Foundation paid $5,000 (sh18m) to Ziwa Rhino sanctuary to acquire the naming rights for the baby rhino.

Angie Genade, the Executive Director of Rhino Fund Uganda said the fund is grateful for the Ruparelia foundation for partnering and naming the baby rhino.

"Rhino Fund Uganda is extremely grateful for the Ruparelia Foundation naming this baby and partnering with us in that sense. We would really like to see this partnership grow. We would really like to see the Ruparelia Foundation becoming ambassadors for this Rhino program," Genade said.

Ruparelia was born to mother rhino, Uhuru, bringing the population at the Rhino Sanctuary to 34 rhinos.

The mother rhino, Uhuru is already showing signs of good mothering, according to the statement.

"Mother and baby are doing well and need to rest," a source at the Rhino Fund Uganda said.

According to the World Wildlife Fund, at the beginning of the 20th century, 500,000 rhinos roamed Africa and Asia. By 1970, rhino numbers dropped to 70,000, and today, around 27,000 rhinos remain in the wild. Very few rhinos survive outside national parks and reserves due to persistent poaching and habitat loss over many decades.

Three species of rhino—black, Javan, and Sumatran—are critically endangered.