The OKC Zoo and Botanical Garden sends this information as posted below:
The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is excited to welcome an endangered okapi (pronounced oh-COP-ee) calf to its animal family. The female calf was born during the night on Sunday, August 24, 2025 in the Zoo’s okapi barn at Expedition Africa, presented by Inasmuch Foundation. She is the second offspring born to mother Kayin (9) and father Bosomi (7). The not-yet-named youngster is the eighth okapi calf 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 OKC Zoo’s Curator of Hoofstock, Bill Smith. “Okapi are endangered, so this calf represents a new generation of okapi that are vital to the population as a whole. We look forward to watching her thrive alongside her parents.”
According to the Zoo’s Hoofstock caretakers, Kayin’s daughter is doing everything an okapi calf should be doing–nursing, sleeping, and staying close to mom! The Zoo’s veterinary care team performed a wellness exam on the calf, checking her overall body condition, vitals and obtaining her weight, 57 pounds.
Okapi calves normally enter a “nesting” or hide phase for several weeks after being born, rather than following their mothers, which protects young calves from predators, in the wild. Caretakers will provide the calf with access to the okapi barn, so that she can perform this natural behavior. Mom and calf will soon have access to their outside habitat, weather permitting, but the calf may choose to stay inside. Guests may be fortunate to see the two of them out and about soon, though!
Native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa, okapis are classified as endangered by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. According to the Okapi Conservation Project, there are only an estimated 10,000 individuals remaining the in the wild. Their population is decreasing rapidly due from mining and other human activities as well as targeting killing because of civil unrest. The OKC Zoo has provided over $18,000 to support the Okapi Conservation Project’s efforts to protect the species.
“Okapi are extremely rare, beautiful animals that we have proudly been caring for, helping conserve, and connecting Oklahomans to for decades,” said OKC Zoo’s Executive Director and CEO, Dwight Lawson. “I am excited for guests to make a connection with our newest okapi ambassador.”
The OKC Zoo participates in the Association of Zoos and Aquarium (AZA)’s Species Survival Plan® (SSP) for okapi, which made the breeding recommendation for Kayin and Bosomi. By participating in this program, the Zoo is helping ensure the sustainability of okapi populations for future generations.
Kayin was born at the OKC Zoo in 2015. The calf’s father, Bosomi, arrived at the Zoo on a recommendation with the AZA’s SSP for okapi from Sedgwick County Zoo, Wichita, Kansas, in 2020. Kayin and Bosomi’s first calf, Nzadi, pronounced Na-zadee, was born at the Zoo on September 7, 2022. He relocated to another AZA-accredited zoo on a recommendation from the Okapi SSP program.
Okapis are the only living relative to giraffes. They are known for being elusive creatures and often referred to as the “ghosts of the forests”. Okapi have distinguishing physical features including a velvet-like brown coat, striped legs and hind quarters and prominent ears.
Answer the call to help wild okapi, their habitat, and other endangered species by donating used electronic devices to the OKC Zoo as part of a global recycling program. Many devices contain coltan and mining for this substance threatens the habitats of okapi and other species. When individuals donate cell phones and other small electronics, the coltan from those devices is re-used and reduces the need to mine in okapi habitats. Enjoy a free OKC Zoo admission voucher when you donate a cell phone or other device. Donations are accepted year-round in the Zoo’s guest services office.
OKC Zoo guests can also choose to Round Up for Conservation when making any purchase at the Zoo. Funds from Round Up for Conservation contribute to the Zoo’s global and local conservation efforts.
The Oklahoma City Zoo’s regular daytime hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with the last entry at 4 p.m. Avoid the entry lines and purchase advance Zoo admission tickets online at okczoo.org/tickets. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, and Oklahoma City’s Adventure District.
Stay connected with the Zoo on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Linktree and TikTok, and by visiting our blog stories. Find adventure with a ZOOfriends membership! As a ZOOfriends member of the Oklahoma City Zoo, enjoy free admission for 12-months, plus additional benefits and discounts. You will also be supporting the Zoo’s animal family, education programming, and conservation initiatives both locally and globally. Join or renew today at www.okczoo.org/membership.
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