Last Tuesday, the San Diego Zoo's Lost Forest exhibit became a little more crowded, in a good way, as personnel celebrated the arrival of a newborn okapi calf, a species known for its elusive nature and distinctive striped legs. In an update from San Diego Zoo's social media, this birth marks a significant occasion; it's the first okapi born at the zoo since 2021. The baby girl, born to mother Subira and first-time father Kapu, appeared last Tuesday, a stripe-legged symbol of hope for the endangered species.
Typically, young okapis are not ready to face the outside world immediately, as they cannot thermoregulate during the cooler months of their infancy. However, due to some recently fortuitously warm San Diego weather conditions, this particular calf was ushered into life outdoors, within the zoo's okapi habitat. This environment, designed to replicate the okapi's native Central African rainforest, provides an ideal setting for the calf's early exploration and development.
As the calf is already roaming her habitat, visitors to the exhibit can catch glimpses of those precious bonding moments out in the open. According to a FOX 5 San Diego report, this allows for heartwarming guest interactions.
In celebration of this latest addition, the San Diego Zoo has extended their hours of operation from today through Thursday, Oct. 2, from 9 AM to 6 PM, allowing everyone to see this calf in her simulated natural habitat.
