Fota Wildlife Park is celebrating the birth of the second Indian rhino ever born in Ireland and the second in the wildlife park's history.

The male Indian rhino, was born on July 13th to mother Maya and father Jami.

Visitors to Fota Wildlife Park are now being invited to name the young make calf. Entries can be submitted at a collection point in the Serengeti Shop until September 13th and one lucky winner will received an annual pass to Fota Wildlife Park. They are encouraging submissions that reflect the species' native range and cultural heritage

The indian rhino, also known as the greater one-horned rhino, is classified as vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), with an estimated 4,000 individuals remaining in the wild.

This announcement follows a remarkable period of conservation breeding successes at Fota including the births of critically endangered Sumatran tiger cubs and a Nubian giraffe, endangered Asian lion cubs and a François' langur monkey and near threatened European bison calves, as well as the first white-tailed sea eagle fledgling in a decade, a bird species that was once extinct in the wild in Ireland.

Liam McConville, senior ranger said: We were all absolutely delighted when Maya gave birth on July 13th to a very healthy calf after the gestation period of over 16 months. This is Maya and Jamil's second calf and because Indian rhino births are so rare in zoological organisations, both in Europe and around the world, it's a one we're incredibly proud to celebrate. We're also the only zoological park in Ireland where visitors can see this remarkable species, making this birth even more special.'