Endangered Okapi Calf Born Healthy in Oklahoma City Zoo

On Wednesday, the Oklahoma City Zoo confirmed the birth of a rare and endangered okapi calf. At 3:42 AM. on Wednesday, the calf was born. in the okapi barn of the zoo.

Kayin, Bosomi, and Their Okapi Calf

The seventh okapi calf to be born at the Zoo, the male calf is the first to be born to mother Kayin, 6, and father Bosomi, 4. 2015 saw Kayin, the most recent okapi to be born at the OKC Zoo.

The OKC Zoo's curator of hoofstock and primates, Tracey Dolphin, expressed how thrilled everyone was to welcome Kayin's first calf into the world and to welcome this new generation to the zoo's okapi family. Being a first-time mother, Kayin is being an incredibly attentive caregiver. Her new calf is strong and healthy, and he is achieving milestones like nursing and mother-calf bonding.

According to zoo officials, the mother okapi and her calf are healthy and enjoying their privacy.

The calf underwent a wellness examination by the zoo's veterinary care staff, who also measured his weight, which came in at close to 57 pounds, and other vital signs.

The calf was standing as well as nursing an hour after birth, which the caregivers claimed to be a crucial moment.

The calf belonging to Kayin will spend several weeks "nesting" behind the scenes at the okapi barn.

The calf is still unnamed, Fox 25 reports.

Okapi

The okapi also referred to as the "forest giraffe," resembles a combination of a zebra and a deer. Although, it is the only living relative of the giraffe. The only place where the okapi can be found in the wild is in the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It has thick, oily fur to keep dry in the rain. On the underside of each hoof are scent glands that aid in marking the animal's territory. The okapi's short horns are protected in the skin, excluding the tips. All males have horns, but the majority of females have knobby bumps.

The okapi inhabits the rainforest's lush vegetation. The white and brown stripes on its rump, which resemble streaks of sunlight passing through the trees, help it blend in with its surroundings.

Fruits, buds, twigs, leaves, and other vegetation make up its plant-based diet.

Loner and Endangered

The elusive okapi is out and about during the day and prefers solitude. Its hooves exude clinging territorial markings, and males also spray urine across their territory. To groom, eat, and even play, okapis occasionally gather in small groups.

The okapi is a threatened species, as per the International Union for Conservation of Nature's (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Although the exact number of wild animals is unknown, scientists believe that over the past two decades, numbers may have been cut in half. Although the okapi's primary predator in the wild is the leopard, human hunters are a greater threat to the okapi's survival.

Despite being brutally attacked at its headquarters in 2012, the Okapi Conservation Project, which was founded in 1987, is still in operation, supporting the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, which is a World Heritage Site located in the Ituri Forest. There are around 5,000 okapis that thrive in the reserve, as per National Geographic data.