New Okapi: Shh…It’s a Secret!
Posted at 10:41 am July 14, 2009 by Nate SchiermanThe San Diego Zoo is very excited to announce the birth of one of the more unusual creatures in its collection: an okapi. On June 10, 2009, Safarani gave birth to her third offspring, a baby boy. At a month old, Sekele (meaning “secret”) is already weighing in at about 100 pounds (45 kilograms). An old pro at motherhood, Safarani is taking wonderful care of her young one. After nearly a month of being held in the “maternity yard,” mother and child have recently been introduced to their exhibit in the Zoo’s Lost Forest zone.
Sekele’s older sister, two year-old Sukari, and unrelated female Kelle were VERY interested in this new addition and spent a great deal of time at the “howdy” fence separating them. (Read a previous post about Sukari, Okapi Calf’s Big Adventure, Day One.) Soon, the fence will be removed and Sekele will be free to investigate the full enclosure as well as his new okapi family.
Once known as the “African unicorn”, the okapi was believed to be only a thing of myth. One of the more recent mammals to be discovered by Europeans, famed explorer Henry Stanley described it as a sort of donkey, and other Europeans who caught glimpses of its striped legs thought it to be some sort of forest zebra. The okapi, however, is the only living relative of the giraffe. Indeed, they share a lot of characteristics: an elongated neck, a lengthy tongue, and the males have ossicones (”horns”). Although not currently listed as an endangered species, the okapi lies precariously on that cliff. Living in a very isolated part of a single country in central Africa (Democratic Republic of Congo), they have a rather long gestation period, and their habitat is threatened by deforestation and human encroachment. Exact numbers in the wild are hard to come by because these creatures are so elusive, but it is estimated to be between 10,000 and 20,000. In managed care facilities, there are roughly 60 individuals, 40 of which are in the United States.
Other recent additions to the Zoo’s okapi exhibit are Luke and Mae, a pair of black duikers, one of the smaller of the duiker species. But what they lack in size, these two more than make up for in personality!
Sekele is already showing some of the rambunctiousness of his father, Biscotti, who now resides at the Wild Animal Park (see post, Exciting Times at the Okapi Barn!). But I am working hard to make him as tractable as possible. It is paramount that we get him used to having his legs and feet, ears, and mouth handled by his keepers. The more we get him used to being handled, the more routine medical procedures we will be able to perform without the use of anesthesia. In the end, it will be much safer for him and much less stressful for us.
Nate Schierman is a keeper at the San Diego Zoo. Read his previous post, One Pig, Happy Family.
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July 14th, 2009 at 3:16 pm
Thank you for your update on Safarani and little Sekele. I have always been in awe of Okapi. I saw my first one in the early 80’s at the WAP and always figured that they were “made” from extra parts of other animals. I have never touched one but they look like velvet. They always seem to stare at you and I’ve often wondered what they think of us. To me they look very intellectual.
July 14th, 2009 at 6:05 pm
What happened to the baby okapi who’s mother died from complications?
Moderator’s note: An okapi female at the Wild Animal Park died during birth and the calf was stillborn. It was a very sad time for our keeper staff. We welcome the successful birth of little Sekele and look forward to the birth of a calf due to Ayana, a 6-year-old female at the Park, in mid-November of this year.
July 15th, 2009 at 10:26 am
The Okapi being a special animal to me since I was a child in the sixties. I was living near the Copenhagen Zoo, at that time a European center of the then endangered Okapi, and I remember seeing four or five Okapis at one time, forever being enchanted by these unique and beautiful animals.
Some of the highlights of my life always with a keen interest and joy in animals was the times when I was allowed to come close to the Okapis, touching their soft velvety skin and feeling within a magic circle together with these messengers from the african rainforests so far away.
And today it’s a great pleasure to me to see the Okapi a worshipped and more widespread zoo inhabitant, as here in San Diego where the newsletter has become one of my inbox favourites. The Okapi pages always the first to be read.
July 17th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
I am 54 years old, and I have not ever seen one of these animals in my whole life. It looks so mystical, kind of like the mythical unicorn. The calf is beautiful and I would love to touch and pet him. If I were not sick with illnesses, I would be out there in a minute to see this animal and all the other animals, especially the elephants in San Diego. WAP and the ZOO take real good care of their animals, thanks for this news letter.
July 18th, 2009 at 1:20 am
Hi! It´s nice to that Safarani and Sekele are doing great! But I´ve aquestion, how many okapies are in the whole San DIego Zoo?? Thaks!
July 18th, 2009 at 7:41 pm
Pity it wasn’t a female. Then you could have named it after the recently deceased female.
July 18th, 2009 at 10:03 pm
Awww I saw the okapi for the first time at the SD zoo and I was taken back how calm and at peace they looked. Its a shame there arent very many. They arent endgangered per se just there isnt a whole lot of them. Im glad there are zoos like the SD zoo to keep them from that status.
July 19th, 2009 at 5:15 am
Between the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park we have a total of 9 okapis (3 boys and 6 girls).
Quick update: The “howdy fence” has been removed. Sekele and Safarani are now on exhibit with Sukari, Kelle, Luke, and Mae. Sekele seems to be especially enthralled with big sister Sukari, often following her around the exhibit.
July 19th, 2009 at 9:31 am
Good luck with Sekele. I wish I could see her in person.
July 20th, 2009 at 6:45 pm
Nate:
You do realize that okapis are, by nature, solitary, right?
July 20th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Mike:
I think you mean in animal (LOL).
July 21st, 2009 at 12:26 pm
Thanks Nate for your answer!
July 21st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
David:
Yes, in the wild, okapi are solitary (save for mothers with their young, or a mating pair), but it is highly impractical and a financial strain to house each okapi individually. In captivity, a variety of social combinations have been successfully housed together. The most stable groups are related females or those that have grown up together. In general, males cannot be kept with females, but can be kept adjacent to them. Immature males can be housed together into maturity, but need to be separated prior to introductions to females. I hope this addresses your concern.
August 7th, 2009 at 5:34 pm
Moderator, #2, is Biscotti the dad of the Ayana’s offspring to be born in November?
Marcia Redding responds: Kenda is the father of Ayana’s calf, due in November. Biscotti was still at the Zoo at the time. Unfortunately we lost Kenda several months ago, so this will be his last calf.