Okapi gives birth to a ‘feisty young calf’ at London Zoo
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An okapi at London Zoo has given birth to a healthy, “feisty” young calf.
Oni the okapi, a second-time mother, gave birth to a female calf named Ede by zookeepers on September 20.
The calf took her first steps minutes after she was born and is now “bouncing happily around the stables”.
“Like all okapis, Oni had a long pregnancy – close to 16 months – so we’ve been excitedly waiting for Ede for a long time,” okapi keeper Gemma Metcalf said.
Ms Metcalf added: “Ede is already a feisty young calf and has been bouncing happily around the stables, but Oni is keeping her in their cosy indoor dens until she feels Ede is ready to explore their lush outdoor paddocks.
“We can’t wait for our visitors to see the newest addition to the zoo family.”
The birth of Ede is part of the global breeding programme for the species, which is officially classified as endangered.
ZSL London Zoo reopened to the public on June 15 after three months of closure due to the coronavirus lockdown – it is now open to limited numbers.
