topic Re: Squee Friday Baby :) in Community Chat

Squee Friday Baby :)

feline groovy — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 19:45:03 GMT

Baby Forest Giraffe (Okapi) Born at Beekse Bergen

ZooBorns.com December 9, 2021

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSgZB3Fk0P4

Hilvarenbeek, November 9, 2021 –

Safari Park Beekse Bergen is celebrating the birth of an okapi. The little male is only the tenth young of this endangered species worldwide to be born in a zoo in the past 12 months.

The okapi, which belongs to the same family as the giraffe, is found in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Here his existence is threatened. The IUCN, one of the world's largest conservation organizations, known for its so-called 'red list', indicates that there may be only a few thousand left in the wild. The numbers are declining because the habitat is disappearing due to the felling of the rainforest. The okapi is also hunted by the local population for meat and skin.

Safari Park Beekse Bergen is committed to preserving the okapi. The Okapi Conservation Project is supported through the Wildlife Foundation. The park also participates in the management program, also known as the breeding program. The birth of the little okapi is part of this.

The male has been given the name Dani. It is the first young for Mother Neyla. Dani is the half-brother of Guus, who was born in June 2020 in the wildlife park in Hilvarenbeek. For Beekse Bergen, it is the third birth since the okapis moved into the park in 2013.

"Dani is doing well and Neyla is also doing excellent," says head of animal care Yvonne Vogels. "It is always exciting with a first young, but she takes motherhood well and lets Dani drink well with her." At the moment the little okapi is still staying behind the scenes with his mother, but in a while Dani will be allowed to explore the country house.

Okapis belong to the same family as the giraffe and share the long neck and relatively high legs. They also have similar horns and a very long, blue-colored tongue. Because they occur in dense forests, they are also called 'forest giraffe'.

Okapis can be recognized by the dark red, brown or black fur with white stripes on the buttocks and legs, which are especially reminiscent of a zebra. The stripes are unique on each okapi, just like a fingerprint on humans. This is how a mother and her young recognize each other in the rainforest. A calf is born after a gestation period of about fourteen months. An adult animal is about 2.5 meters high and weighs between 200 and 350 kilograms.

(special alert to @SilleeMee and @chickenbutt )

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

SilleeMee — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 19:46:46 GMT

Oh he's so beautiful! Thank you so much for sharing @feline groovy

My favorite wild animal in the whole wide world.

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

Catiele — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 19:54:38 GMT

How perfectly beautiful.

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

sophiesofers — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 19:56:14 GMT

Welcome to the world Dani! You are adorable!

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

feline groovy — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:13:53 GMT

You're most welcome, @SilleeMee; I was pretty sure okapis were your fave.

here's a bonus baby:

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

riley1 — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:15:58 GMT

@feline groovy - so adorable - thank you.

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

Kachina624 — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:19:11 GMT

Beautiful baby, gorgeous coat and markings.

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

SilleeMee — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:20:04 GMT

So cute! Thank you @feline groovy That sweet baby just made my day!

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

meallen616 — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:40:40 GMT

@feline groovy,

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

SilleeMee — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 20:53:54 GMT

Thank you for thinking of me @feline groovy . So sweet of you!

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

on the bay — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:13:45 GMT

Nature is amazing in all its artistry!

Like paintings on all the animals,birds, flowers and trees- all the different colors and shapes.

Welcome to the world beautiful little one!

Thanks for posting this wonderful photo @feline groovy!

I've never seen or known of an Okapi before!❤️

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

KingstonsMom — Fri, 10 Dec 2021 21:26:24 GMT

@feline groovy

How awesome, thanks for sharing!

SO happy to see endangered species having newborns!

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

Jk9 — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 04:23:38 GMT

Oh my. Okapi have become one of my favorites since seeing them on the zoo shows. I am just fascinated by them and appreiate you posting this @feline groovy .

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

feline groovy — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 23:16:14 GMT

re-alerting @chickenbutt 'cuz she has a passion for baby animals...

Re: Squee Friday Baby :)

chickenbutt — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 23:18:10 GMT

@feline groovy wrote:
re-alerting @chickenbutt 'cuz she has a passion for baby animals...

Thank You! I just happened to be cruising by.

I know 'okapi' from doing crossword puzzles, and now I get to see them!