September 19, 2005
Buffalo's Baby Rhino Named Ashakiran, "Ray of Hope"
Baby Rhino Rings In First Birthday With Special "Piece of Cake"
Buffalo, N.Y. – Sept. 19, 2005 – It’s official! Buffalo’s baby rhino was christened “Ashakiran,” meaning ray of hope, Saturday during her first birthday party at the Buffalo Zoo. More than 5,000 creative participants from across the country took a chance at naming the cuddly 700-pound, 1-year-old Indian rhinoceros, but the honors go to 13-year-old Elizabeth Bukowski, of Lancaster, N.Y.
When asked why she chose this name, Elizabeth said, “I chose an Indian name because she’s an Indian rhino. I liked the meaning of Ashakiran, which means ‘ray of hope,’ because she’s one of the only few rhinos ever born in captivity. She is a ray of hope for her species of endangered rhinos.”
The Buffalo Zoo and Perry’s Ice Cream couldn’t agree more. “We wanted the name to not only reflect the heritage of the baby rhino and the resilience of the Buffalo community, but also serve as a sign of our support for New Orleans and the surrounding communities that were impacted by hurricane Katrina,” said Bob Denning, president, Perry’s Ice Cream. “We thought Ashakiran was fitting on all levels because anything’s possible as long as there’s a ray of hope.”
Ashakiran and her 7-year-old mom, Tashi, rang in her first birthday in style Saturday by enjoying a special birthday treat from an oversized carton of Perry’s “Piece of Cake” Ice Cream. It was truly a rare moment shared by mother and daughter as Tashi raced Ashakiran to the first bite.
“The Buffalo Zoo is dedicated to providing ongoing behavioral enrichment for every animal in captivity,” said Heidi Henzler, marketing manager, the Buffalo Zoo. “By giving animals a special treat in unusual containers like the Perry’s Ice Cream Piece of Cake carton, we can provide positive physical and mental stimulation for the animals to promote healthy behavior.”
Perry’s Ice Cream worked closely with the Buffalo Zoo and its animal keepers to create a safe, non-toxic carton for the rhinoceroses. All materials were approved by the Buffalo Zoo and did not compromise the animals’ safety.
For additional information about the Buffalo Zoo, visit www.BuffaloZoo.org. For additional information about Perry’s Ice Cream, visit www.PerrysIceCream.com. Read more about the winner of the "Baby Rhino Name Game"
Contact
Heidi Henzler
Buffalo Zoo
(716) 995-6139
Perry’s Ice Cream Co., Inc.
Juliette Reashor
One Ice Cream Plaza
Akron, NY 14001
TEL 716.542.5492 x274
FAX 716.542.2544
www.perrysicecream.com
About the Buffalo Zoo
Founded in 1875, the Buffalo Zoo is the third oldest zoo in the United States, established after the Central Park Wildlife Center in New York in 1864 and the Philadelphia Zoological Garden in 1874. Each year, the Buffalo Zoo welcomes over 300,000 visitors and is the second largest tourist attraction in Western New York, second only to Niagara Falls. Located on 23.5 acres of Olmsted’s beautiful Delaware Park, the Buffalo Zoo provides interactive and educational family entertainment throughout the year. With a diverse collection of wild and exotic animals, and beautiful gardens throughout, visitors are introduced to and engulfed by nature each time they visit.
About Perry’s Ice Cream
Perry’s Ice Cream, founded in 1918 by H. Morton Perry, is a family-owned and operated fourth generation ice cream manufacturer with frozen distribution services for Perry’s, Ben & Jerry’s, Friendly’s, Häagen-Dazs and Nestlé. Since its humble beginning, when hand cranks and horse-drawn delivery wagons were used, Perry’s has developed one of the most modern, state-of-the-art production facilities in the country. With over 325 employees, Perry’s now sells and distributes to Upstate New York, Northern Pennsylvania, the Mid-Atlantic and New England.
For more information about Perry’s Ice Cream or its products, visit www.perrysicecream.com or call 800-873-7797.
