Rare and endangered okapi calf is ‘thriving’ at Dublin Zoo

By Cate McCurry, PA

A rare and endangered okapi calf that was born on Good Friday is “thriving”, Dublin Zoo said.

The birth marks an important milestone in the conservation of the okapi species, as she is only the third okapi calf ever born in Ireland.

The zoo said that its mother, Lumara, aged 10, is caring for her calf “beautifully”, and both are thriving.

Over the past three months, the soon-to-be-named young calf has been growing steadily and showing all the signs of good health. Her name will be revealed soon, the zoo said.

Dalia and Leki, also offspring of parents Lumara and Kitabu, were previously born at Dublin Zoo.

The zoo said that this year’s new female is settling into her home under the attentive care of her mother.

Infant okapis spend most of their time in their nest during the first few months of life.

Visitors to Dublin Zoo may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the growing calf as she begins to explore her outdoor habitat in the coming weeks.

Helen Clarke, team leader at Dublin Zoo, said: “We’re absolutely delighted to welcome our third okapi calf to Dublin Zoo.

“Each birth is a major step forward for the conservation of this endangered species.

“At the moment, the calf is nesting with her mother – typical behaviour for young okapis – but it won’t be long before she begins exploring the outdoor habitat alongside her.

“The calf is thriving, and visitors exploring the African Plains area may be lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her in the coming days – and see just how much she has grown.”

Okapis are large, hoofed mammals closely related to the giraffe.

They have a reddish-brown, velvety coat with distinctive black-and-white stripes on their hind legs.

Okapis are herbivores, feeding on a diet of leaves, shoots, fruits and fungi.

To meet these dietary needs, the okapis at Dublin Zoo are provided with a variety of foliage, including rose leaves, a particular favourite.

For added enrichment, Dublin Zookeepers create “rose balls”, which are hanging baskets filled with rose leaves that encourage the okapis to use their long tongues to nibble at the nutritious treats.

The okapi is listed as Endangered by the IUCN list – a critical indicator of the health of the world’s biodiversity – due to habitat loss, hunting, deforestation and civil unrest.

Current population estimates range between 15,000 and 50,000 in the wild. Their natural habitat is the dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in Africa.

Dublin Zoo has supported okapi conservation since 2012, with financial contributions to support rangers and community services in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the DRC.

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve monitors and protects okapi populations in the DRC.