Endangered Okapi calf born at Oklahoma City Zoo

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is celebrating the birth of an endangered okapi calf. The female calf was born overnight on Aug. 24 in the zoo’s okapi barn at Expedition Africa. She is the second offspring for mother Kayin, 9, and father Bosomi, 7.

The calf, who has not yet been named, is the eighth okapi born at the Oklahoma City Zoo since it began caring for the species in 1973.

"We’ve been eagerly awaiting the birth of this little calf and are thrilled that she’s here, healthy and strong," said Bill Smith, the zoo’s curator of hoofstock. "Okapi are endangered, so this calf represents a new generation of okapi that are vital to the population as a whole."

(Video provided by: Oklahoma City Zoo)

Health and Care

Veterinarians examined the calf shortly after birth, checking her overall condition and vitals. She weighed 57 pounds at the time of the wellness exam.

Caretakers report that the calf is nursing, sleeping and staying close to her mother. Okapi calves typically go through a "nesting" phase in which they hide for several weeks rather than following their mothers. The zoo will allow her to practice this natural behavior inside the okapi barn.

Weather permitting, the mother and calf will soon have access to their outdoor habitat.

Conservation Efforts

Okapis are native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo and are classified as endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. Fewer than 10,000 remain in the wild, according to the Okapi Conservation Project.

The Oklahoma City Zoo has provided more than $18,000 to support conservation efforts for the species. The zoo also participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan for okapi, which recommended the pairing of Kayin and Bosomi.

"Okapi are extremely rare, beautiful animals that we have proudly been caring for, helping conserve, and connecting Oklahomans to for decades," said Dwight Lawson, the zoo’s executive director and CEO.

Okapi at the Zoo

Kayin was born at the Oklahoma City Zoo in 2015. Bosomi arrived in 2020 from the Sedgwick County Zoo in Wichita, Kansas. Their first calf, Nzadi, was born in 2022 and later relocated to another AZA-accredited zoo as part of the breeding program.

Okapis are the only living relatives of giraffes. Sometimes called "ghosts of the forest," they are known for their brown velvet-like coats, striped legs and large ears.

How to Help

The zoo encourages visitors to donate used cell phones and small electronics as part of a recycling program that helps reduce coltan mining in okapi habitats. Donations can be dropped off at the zoo’s guest services office, and participants receive a free admission voucher.

Guests can also contribute through the Round Up for Conservation program when making purchases at the zoo.

Visiting Information

The Oklahoma City Zoo is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last entry at 4 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at okczoo.org/tickets.

The zoo is located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35 and is a member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District.