Tanganyika Wildlife Park has gender reveal for baby rhino

WICHITA, Kan. (KSNW) — Usually, gender reveal parties are held before a baby is born. But when it comes to wildlife, you can mix things up.

On Friday, Tanganyika Wildlife Park did just that by letting its Indian rhino mother reveal the gender of her two-week-old baby. Monica was pregnant for a year and three months, so she earned the right.

Tanganyika put a wrapped cardboard box in Monica’s enclosure for the reveal.

“The keepers like to do a lot of enrichment with her,” Matt Fouts, Tanganyika Wildlife Park director, said. “Sometimes there’s treats in there, but actually having the box, getting to play around with it, you know, throw whatever’s inside there, she typically will snack on it a little bit.”

Monica started shaking the box around and tearing it as her baby watched. Then blue wads of paper fell from the box.

It’s a boy!

Tanganyika had already named the baby MarJon, or MJ for short. The names are a blend of Mary and Jon Sendall, who are long-time supporters of the park.

Fouts says he is committed to preserving and protecting endangered species like Indian rhinos. He said this is the first time Monica and the male rhino Stacks have bred.

“So just having the new genetics is going to be very helpful for the population,” Fouts said. “We hope that they continue to have calves so that we can help the population here in the United States, and then long term, our hope would be that MarJon gets paired up with another rhino and that, again, those genetics can get passed on and continue to further that species.”

For now, MarJon is staying close to his mom. He will nurse for up to two years.

“He’s two weeks old, and his personality is starting to come through … running around, charging mom and all those kinds of things,” Fouts said.

MarJon won’t be able to be outside and available for public viewing until the weather is in the 60s. It is possible that it could be later in March.

If you want to see MarJon in person, Tanganyika Wildlife Park is holding its annual season pass special through March 15. For $24.99, you get unlimited visits to the park. Click here to learn more.