Okapi's

24-05-2008

I'm not sure it's 100% true but the story about kibibi is that her blood is not right (Anemia) and that she has some sort of constipation in her gut.
She is outside somthimes, because exercise is good for her gut-problem, but its bad for her anemia. So we'll have to wait and see what will happen.

26-05-2008

Okapi Stanley is moved from Stuttgart to Copenhage Zoo.

Djugu and Basongo died in April in Lisbon Zoo.
Cause of death still unknown.

05-06-2008

The sick newborn female kibibi in blijdorp rotterdam seems to have grown considerably since i last saw her. So i would think she is doing better... Lets hope.

09-06-2008

New Okapi calf born at Marwell on June 2nd to Zukisa.

09-06-2008

VERY good news

09-06-2008

Great news, plus with the london female about to give birth anyday. I hope know that Bristol and Chester can follow suit. But still two calves to be born in england is great news

09-06-2008

I am fairly sure another Okapi at Marwell is due to calf soon

09-06-2008

I hope some one can confirm this? This year looks a better year for the European breeding program. Althou there has been a few deaths aswell this year

10-06-2008

I was told by a keeper several months ago that 2 Okapi were due in the Summer - so all being well they should be some more good news over the next few months.

10-06-2008

Thanks for that SWA. Lets hope Stuma and Bristol's Female (Forget her name) also fall pregnant soon. Will try and ask a keeper for an update on Bristol's female when I visit later this month.

Hopefully this will mean more zoo's can join the breeding program (Depending if they lift the ban on other collections currently not holding okapi, being able too), although I quite like the fact that the Okapi is a pretty rare animal in UK collections with only 4 collections holding them.

10-06-2008

Apart from Marwell and London Zoos, also the Dvur Kralove and an Antwerpen female are due very soon. I have no info yet on the German zoo situation: Koeln has had a male birth last year, Berlin Zoo had a foal as well, Frankfurt's are a youngish pairing, Wuppertal is a "disaster zone" (rumours that only 1 female left, which one, does someone know?) and only Stuttgart has any likelihood of a breeding 2008/09 (F Kabinda). Other continental zoos: Basel has another youngish pairing.

The goal is to have every breeding location having multiple females for breeding. The likelihood of new zoos receiving okapi breeding pairs is thus next to nil for the foreseeable future. This policy is intended to get the okapi breeding programme over "crisis mode" and on a more secure genetic setting.

10-06-2008

Thanks for that Jelle. Will be interesting to see especially in the UK as Chester does not really have the room at the moment for more than a breeding pair and one off spring. Also there is no sign off them redeveloping the planned area for more Okapi, maybe with some success (Stuma getting pregnant) it might change the managements view on the situation.

Bristol and London from what I have seen also have limited accommodation for Okapi.

10-06-2008

1. I imagine 'Stuma' will soon be pregnant from the loaned Marwell male.

2. Bristol's female is called 'Lodja' (she replaced the previous female 'Xantia' which died.) She only arrived last year but no reason why she shouldn't be pregnant now/soon..

3.Neither London or Bristol have any room for more than a pair(plus offspring) at present. London could expand by making the other stalls in the Okapi house plus the adjacent paddock(where they used to be,next the Giraffe) available for this species e.g. then hold another pair or additional females.
Bristol haven't really got any room to expand their Okapi facilities from what they have now.

10-06-2008

Thanks for comfirming this, all I have seen of these enclosures are from TV programs

10-06-2008

Bristol's live in half of the old elephant/giraffe house- the half that originally contained Giraffes. There are two stalls(nicely modernised for Okapi) and a smallish outside paddock but there's no room for expansion, at least in that area of the zoo.

London's are on the Cotton terraces- they could keep more as I outlined above..