New Rhino calf at Cotswold Wildlife Park named 'Queenie' to celebrate Platinum Jubilee

Queenie at Cotswold Wildlife Park Credit: Rory Carnegie

The newest born rhino at a wildlife park in Oxfordshire has been named in honour of the Queen.

'Queenie' is the ninth White Rhino calf to be born at the Cotswold Wildlife Park and is Monty and Nancy’s fifth breeding success together.

Visitors can see the newborn daily from 10am in the solar-powered Rhino House or the large Rhino paddock overlooking the Manor House. 

This year marks the Queen's Platinum Jubilee and the name was chosen to help celebrate the anniversary.

  • Keepers filmed the young calf enjoying her enclosure just after her mother Nancy gave birth

Reggie Heyworth, managing director of Cotswold Wildlife Park, explains: "We feel very lucky to have another baby female Rhino, which is our fifth female baby in a row. 

"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.

"I thought it might be a bit presumptuous to call our new baby ‘Elizabeth’, so I have christened her ‘Queenie’ instead. I think it is a perfect name for a young lady Rhino!"

The Queen's Grandson, Prince William, is Royal Patron of UK based conservation charity Tusk Trust, which Cotswold Wildlife Park supports and works closely with to protect Africa’s many threatened species.