Following a pregnancy which lasts for over a year we are delighted with our latest new arrival, a healthy female okapi calf. Born on Monday 2nd June 2008, we have named her Hazina which means valuable treasure in Swahili, the language spoken in the okapi’s native home range in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

You can watch Hazina being born and follow her progress during the coming months in our new online diary.

Although closely resembling a zebra (as they have stripes on their hind quarters and upper forelegs), okapi are in fact the closest known relative to the giraffe. They are an elusive species which live in the tropical rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and were only first discovered to science by Sir Harry Johnston, the British explorer and naturalist in 1901.

No-one knows for sure how many are left in the wild as the harsh rainforest conditions, plus the current political situation in the country makes tracking this species very difficult. Despite official protection, okapi are still hunted and combined with increased deforestation (to provide agricultural areas to feed an increasing human population) of their natural habitat, their future is uncertain.

Hazina will hopefully become an important addition to the captive okapi conservation breeding programme, of which there are less than 100 individuals in Europe. Okapi are notoriously difficult to breed in captivity so every birth is very special.

Head Keeper for the okapi, Simon Hawker said: “We are all ecstatic that after such a long pregnancy Hazina and mum are both strong and healthy, and have already formed a strong bond. We are delighted that our latest baby is a female although every healthy okapi calf is a great addition to the captive population, helping to secure the future of this rare and mysterious species.”

Hazina’s mum, Zukisa, is eight years old and has already successfully reared two male calves. Marwell has now bred five okapi calves.

A survey in June 2006 rediscovered okapi in Democratic Republic of Congo’s Virunga National Park. According to official records, the last sighting of okapi in this Park, before this date, was in 1959.

The trees in the rainforest and their dark colouring provide the perfect camouflage for okapi to hide from predators. It is believed that their stripe patterns help young okapi to follow their mothers through the dense rainforest. 

The okapi taxonomic name, Okapia johnstoni, pays tribute to both its native Central African name and that of Sir Harry Johnston, the British explorer and naturalist who first discovered the species in 1901.

5th August 2008

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