Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) celebrates after a win over the Denver Broncos in an NFL football game, Sunday, Sept.. 27, 2020, in Denver. (AP Photo/Justin Edmonds)

 Justin Edmonds

Rob Gronkowski hasn't played a full season for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but the city's zoo named its latest addition to the park after the former Arizona Wildcats tight end.Β 

ZooTampa at Lowry Park named a newborn rhinoceros calf, "Gronk," after Gronkowski, who came out of retirement this season to play for the Bucs and reunite with former Patriots teammate Tom Brady.Β 

The zookeepers and handlers held a baby shower for the rhino Gronk and spiked a watermelon with Gronkowski's No. 87 carved in. Gronkowski sent a message to the newest Gronk via the Buccaneers' Twitter account Friday afternoon.Β 

This isn't the first animal interaction with Gronkowski. In 2018, a horse named Gronk raced in the Belmont Stakes and finished in second place behind Triple Crown winner Justify. Gronkowski is a minority owner of Gronk.Β 

Now he's got a rhino and a horse named after him.Β 

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Contact sports content producer Justin Spears at 573-4312 or jspears@tucson.com. On Twitter @justinesports