A Very Special Okapi
Posted at 5:29 pm March 9, 2007 by Marcia Redding
Over the years, I have been one of the fortunate few who work with okapis on a daily basis. Each has had individual personalities, but there have been a few standouts (read Marcia’s blog, Okapi Calf Explores Exhibit).
Kasai is one of those special animals. She was born in 1986 at the Wild Animal Park and matured into a very tall, very dark female with a rather lanky build. Not particularly fond of human interaction, she still was compliant with most things that were asked of her. She gave birth to four calves in her breeding career: three females and one male (she is pictured with her calf, Karma, in 1998).
In 2001, after being retired from the breeding program, she began to develop a health problem. Keepers noticed that she often seemed short of breath and her respiration sounded wheezy and congested. As her mother, Kenge, had developed heart trouble near the end of her life, this was immediately suspected as the cause of her condition. Ultrasound examination soon confirmed that Kasai was in the early stages of congestive heart failure that can cause fluid buildup in various parts of the body. The disease also affects the kidney’s ability to dispose of water, which increases the edema. In humans, this fluid buildup is often treated with diuretics.
The veterinary staff prescribed a diuretic commonly used in humans as well as animals. The problem was, her daily dose was a whopping 22 tablets. That’s a lot of pills to get into a very large animal! Obviously, we were not going to be successful without Kasai’s cooperation. Several methods were experimented with, but eventually we were able to come up with a system that works: Kasai takes her daily dose of pills in hollowed-out carrots. The pills are bitter, but she doesn’t seem to mind the taste.
Occasionally, Kasai will refuse a dose. If she misses more than two full doses, her symptoms return. A couple of times the vets have administered the medication by dart to hold her over until her appetite returns. We are also careful to not let her become overweight, which would put additional strain on her heart.
While it is true that Kasai has been retired from the breeding program for quite some time, she is still a very valuable member of our herd. She displays maternal behavior towards all the other females, even those not related to her (we do have two of her granddaughters at the moment). When we receive females from other facilities, Kasai is the first animal they are housed with in the outside yards. Although okapis are not particularly social animals, her calm presence and grooming seem to be reassuring to young or nervous females. She is the only ” neutral” animal we have, able to be paired with any of our other females. Kasai is the first, and sometimes the only, okapi to share yard space with a mother and young calf.
Now 20 years old, Kasai seems to be doing just fine. Okapis have been known to live into their early 30s in managed care, so hopefully she will be with us for many more years. The place wouldn’t be the same without her.
Marcia Redding is a senior keeper at the Wild Animal Park.
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March 10th, 2007 at 9:26 am
It’s good it all turned out well!!!!!!!!
March 11th, 2007 at 4:54 pm
Thanks, Marcia, for telling us about Kasai, a very special animal indeed. Opakis are rarely talked about so it is great to have an indepth first hand account of her life and condition. She may not care much for human animals, but it sounds like she is great with other Okapis. You mentioned that she is housed with other females. I presume that means that male and female Opakis are only together for breeding, like Pandas. Does she ever interact with young males, i.e. calves?
March 12th, 2007 at 11:29 am
You are correct, Margaret, male and female okapis generally are only together for breeding. Kasai does interact with the male calves, though: before the males are sexually mature they are separated from the females, so gender is not really an issue while the calves are small. Kasai will groom any calf who will stand still for it!
March 12th, 2007 at 1:02 pm
Sounds like she has a well worked tongue. I imagine their mothers are happy to have the help since squirming youngsters can be a challenge. How old are the calves when they are separated from their mothers? Which leads to a related question of at what age do they become sexually mature?
March 12th, 2007 at 2:55 pm
Hello Marcia! I’m Caitie! You probably don’t remember me! Well I interviewed you last April about being an Okapi keeper. (you know my dad, Mike Masterson)! Well i just wanted to say that I’m Glad the birth was a sucess because when I was interviewing you, You seemed very excited about the then pending birth! I can’t wait to come and see the calf in person! Warm Wishes!
March 14th, 2007 at 6:54 am
Marcia, I went back to read the previous blogs you wrote about Akin Ali’s birth, and noticed that Imari was supposed to give birth in January 07. Did she?
You mentioned above that Kasai ” displays maternal behavior towards all the other females, even those not related to her,” and that she is the ” first, and sometimes the only, okapi to share yard space with a mother and young calf.” Does that mean she shares the yard space with both Ayana and Akin, and Imari and her calf? At some point will both mothers and their calves share the yard space at the same time, or do you alternate them?
It would seem that Kasai’s maternal instincts and calm ” neutral” nature would help in that type of situation, making both mothers feel calmer about their calves being out on exhibit.
Who are the ” two of her granddaughters at the moment” still on exhibit? Is Imari one of them? You wrote that Ayana came from Cinncinnati Zoo, so I think that means she is not related. Who was the sire of Imari’s calf?
Sorry to be asking so many questions. I have not seen the Okapi exhibit at SDZ, so I am curious as to who is who. When pieced together, your three articles on the Okapis sparked interest in my brain, and I like to picture whole families. Similar to my vision of Izu and his extended family.
March 14th, 2007 at 11:19 am
Hi Caitie, of course I remember you! You’ve been coming to the WAP with your Dad since you were a little kid! Thanks for the good wishes. Since I last saw you Imara has had her calf. He was born in January and is named ” Imba” which means ” to sing” .
Margaret, Imba was sired by Masombi, our 12-year-old male who originally came to us from White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee, Florida. I am remiss in introducing this little guy to everyone, which I will remedy soon in a future blog entry. Imara and calf are not yet on display; Imara has a hoof problem at the moment (nothing serious) that requires a particular substrate we can only supply in one of the off-exhibit yards. It’s likely that Kasai will share the exhibit with them when they do go out. It is possible that she could be out with both calves and moms together at some point, but this depends on how the two moms tolerate each other. Kasai’s granddaughters are Safina and Makini, 7 and 9 years old. (You can read about Makini in the ” Meet the Critters” section of our Web site’s Kid Territory.) They will soon be bred with Kenda, Akin’s sire, who came to us from Oklahoma City. Don’t apologize for the questions! It’s great to have folks like you who are so interested.
A side note – Karma, the calf pictured in the photo with Kasai, now resides at Miami Metrozoo and is currently expecting her first calf. Yet another branch on the family tree!
March 16th, 2007 at 4:53 pm
Hi Marcia, i just have a little off topic question and comment i would like to ask and share.on a show i watched called Zoo Diaries i think i saw you in one episode with a hyperactive little Indian Rhino calf named ” Choto” , and i was just wondering if you could give us an update on how he is now. he was very cute.and he looked like he was good friends with an assertive little barbary sheep!
March 30th, 2007 at 3:05 am
I like okapis.
April 9th, 2007 at 10:38 am
Hi Marcia! I’m sorry I missed you a few weeks ago. My dad and I came out to the park and down to see Imba but Amy ( I think that’s her name) said you were busy down at the Cheetahs. And Imba is BEAUTIFUL!! My dad was amazed at how much he had grown since he was first born. Well I do have a question for you. I read somewhere that The Zoo (or the park) gave the National Zoo four okapis on loan. And i was wondering if any other okapis would be leaving for something of that nature. It seems like the barn is very full at the park and keeps filling up! My Best wishes to you and all the animals!!!
May 8th, 2007 at 6:38 pm
I’m researching Okapis for my school project. One question I need to answer is whether there are any planned reintroductions of captive-bred okapis back into the wild. Have any ever been sent back to Zaire from any zoo or breeding facility in the past? What are your concerns about reintroducing them? Thanks very much.
Zoe, Age 10.
June 6th, 2007 at 9:28 am
0KAPIS ARE THE BEST!!! BEF0RE I DIDNT KN0W WH0 THEY WERE UNTIL I SAW 0NE AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM!!! I FELL IN L0VE WITH IT!!!! THEY ARE SUCH RARLEY SEEN AMAZING ANIMALS!!!!
February 19th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Marcia, I’m curious. All the sources I’ve read have said that okapi are solitary animals, other than a mother and calf. How does it affect them to be in a group of 4 or 5 okapis??
March 11th, 2009 at 11:57 am
i am doing a s.a on the rain forest i haft to have 2 animals dose the okapi live in the rain forest if it dose please email me back
Moderator’s note: Yes, okapis are native to the rain forests of central Africa.
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:19 pm
hello this is very intresting i got homework to do about a wild animal i decided i will do this. it is all about Opaki and that is so superb my teacher will bring u too our class and tell us all oubout opaki’s thanxs alot……………………….
mustaina yakub.
10 years old year 5
June 22nd, 2009 at 12:20 pm
0KAPIS ARE THE BEST!!! BEF0RE I DIDNT KN0W WH0 THEY WERE UNTIL I SAW 0NE AT DISNEY’S ANIMAL KINGDOM!!! I FELL IN L0VE WITH IT!!!! THEY ARE SUCH RARLEY SEEN AMAZING ANIMALS!!!!