Oct 18 is World Okapi Day! An okapi is a large browsing mammal of the giraffe family that lives in the rainforests of the northern Democratic Republic of Congo. You can find several of them around Disney’s Animal Kingdom – both on Kilimanjaro Safari and on the Gorilla Falls Exploration Trail. These beautiful animals tend to stand out because of their zebra-striped back legs and beautiful coloring.
And now you can find even one more okapi on Disney property. Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge has announced the birth of a rare, endangered okapi calf named Beni just in time for World Okapi Day on Oct 18. The healthy, male calf was born in July to first-time mom, Olivia, at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge at Walt Disney World Resort.
The mom and son will remain in their backstage habitat where they can bond privately for a little while yet. Beni will make his debut on the Pembe Savanna in the coming months.
This birth is the latest example of how Disney animal care experts work with the Association of Zoos and Aquariums on Species Survival Plans to ensure responsible breeding for endangered species. Worldwide okapi populations are threatened by civil unrest, illegal logging, mining, and poaching in protected forests.
Have you visited the okapis at Disney’s Animal Kingdom?