Okapi Joy at the Wild Animal Park
Posted at 2:50 pm September 28, 2006 by Marcia ReddingThursday, September 21, was an eventful date at the Wild Animal Park. This was the long-awaited day when Izu, our male lion, joined his mate Oshana and their 4-month-old offspring for the first time on exhibit at Lion Camp (read Lion Cubs Meet Dad).
There was more in store for us that day. Ayana, a 4-year-old okapi female, delivered her first calf about 2 weeks before her estimated delivery date. The baby, a male, was discovered first thing in the morning, already up and nursing! Ayana was taking care of her new baby like a pro.
Calculating okapi birth dates can be a bit difficult, as the females will often exhibit signs of estrus and even breed for several cycles, even if already pregnant. In addition, first-time dams often do not develop as many signs that delivery is near as females who have previously given birth. Usually a female who has already had one or more calves will show a great deal of udder development, and the ligaments near the tail will relax several weeks before delivery. Ayana had shown the barest beginnings of udder development, but that was all. Add to this a gestation period of 14 to 15 months, and there is a bit of room for error. The Zoological Society of San Diego has an extremely successful breeding program, with over 40 calves born over the years at the San Diego Zoo and the Wild Animal Park.
The new calf has been named Akin Ali, which means brave and noble. His birth is very important: the genetic lines of Akin’s father, Kenda, had been unrepresented in the okapi breeding program. Kenda had been paired for many years with a female at the Oklahoma City Zoo, but no offspring ever resulted, even though they had bred several times. Now 10 years old, Kenda came to the Park to be paired with Ayana, who came to us from the Cincinnatti Zoo. They certainly have proven to be a fertile couple!
Ayana has proven to be an excellent mother so far. She also allows us to handle her calf and does not seem concerned as long as she can watch the proceedings. We prefer to accustom the baby to handling as soon as possible. We work closely with our okapis, and teaching the calves that we mean no harm is a priority. Later, we will teach little Akin to have his feet lifted and examined and other behaviors that will help us to care for him in the future with as little stress as possible.
It will be several weeks to a month before the calf and his mom will be on exhibit. I will be sure to post when they are available for viewing. Welcome to Heart of Africa, Akin!
Marcia is a senior mammal keeper at the Wild Animal Park.
Read Marcia’s previous blogs: Okapi Questions and A Confirmed Pregnancy at the Okapi Barn.
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September 28th, 2006 at 4:38 pm
Thank you for news of a new baby Okapi. I was able to go on a lecture/walk several years ago that included behind to the barn area for the Okapis and I fell in love with them. I think they are so beautiful and I love their markings. Welcome to the world, Akin Ali, and congrats to all of you, especially Mom and Dad Okapi, I am glad to hear they finally had a baby. I will make sure I come out to see him when he goes out on display.
September 28th, 2006 at 6:12 pm
i thought it was supposed to be in january 2007!
September 29th, 2006 at 11:13 am
Calvin, I thought someone would catch that! I didn’t proofread as well as I should have when I wrote the previous post. January 07 is the approximate due date of Imara, our other pregnant female. Oops!
September 29th, 2006 at 1:53 pm
wow, imara is also pregnant. wow. this year really is okapi joy!
October 2nd, 2006 at 6:28 am
Congratulations Ayana and Kenda! We are excited about Akin Ali and hope to see him when he comes out on exhibit. It is double excitement waiting for another baby to be born in January 07.
Do Okapi males have anything to do with their offspring like lions, GLT’s etc? It is interesting to me the varied roles of male parents in the different species. Obviously it has something to do with safety and protection. But, when they are involved they share a lot of the responsibility of teaching the young.
Please keep us posted on the development and progress of Akin Ali, especially for those of us who live thousands of miles away.
October 3rd, 2006 at 12:56 pm
What a joy a new Zoo baby is but an Okapi is really special. Hope he isn’t too grown up when I get to see him in Feb 07. Okapi have become my favorite hoof stock in the last few years & I will walk all the way to their exhibit just to enjoy standing by the okapi’s & watching their interaction. Thanks for any and all info on this unusual species from another far away Zoo member. Great to hear another one is on the way in January
October 3rd, 2006 at 2:45 pm
Margaret, male Okapi do not have contact with their young after they are born. The male’s primary interest is holding territory. The bigger the territory, the more females that may be available for breeding. Generally Okapi are solitary, unless they are breeding, or females with young. Thanks for your questions!
February 11th, 2007 at 6:18 pm
“January 07 is the approximate due date of Imara, our other pregnant female.”
And did she deliver her child already?
May 27th, 2007 at 10:57 am
Great post!