Dublin Zoo announces the arrival of an endangered male OKI calf.
The male calf was born to parents Lumara (seven) and Kitabu (14).
The calf can stand up in 20 minutes and is able to nurse within hours.
He is the second okapi to have been born in Ireland.
The habitat loss, deforestation, hunting, and civil unrest that have impacted the okapi are all reasons why it is endangered (Dublin Zoo/PA).
Dalia, a female also born at Dublin Zoo Lumara and Kitabu was the first to arrive in October 2019.
Lumara has once again been showing excellent maternal instincts, the zoo said, while Kitabu has also been displaying great interest in the newborn’s development.
Helen Clarke, the attraction’s team leader, said: “We are absolutely delighted to welcome this okapi calf to Dublin Zoo.
“The species is listed as endangered so every birth is extremely important.
“The infant is nesting at the moment, as is typical for okapi calves, but will soon emerge to accompany his mother into their outdoor habitat.
“The baby is doing very well, and visitors to the zoo walking through the African Plains may be lucky enough to get a glimpse of the new arrival in the coming days.”
The Okapi is a large hoofed, hoofed relative to the Giraffe.
This species is endangered, so each birth is very important
Helen Clarke
They have a red-brown velvety coat, with distinct black and white stripes along their back legs.
Okapis are similar to giraffes in that they have long, dark tongues. They are herbivores that eat leaves, fruits, and shoots.
They also consume charcoal and clay from burned trees in order to neutralise toxic substances and obtain minerals.
For the first two months, infant okapis spend their time in nests and hide from their mother.
International Union for Conservation of Nature Red lists the Okapi as an endangered species due to habitat destruction, hunting and civil unrest.
Their natural habitat is Africa’s thick forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Dublin Zoo will hold a competition to name the new calves. The winner will be chosen by Dublin Zoo keepers and given a family pass.
Names must be African-derived
Members of the public can enter at dublinzoo.ie/competition, and the lucky winner will be announced on Dublin Zoo’s social media channels when the competition closes on September 9.