Okapi at Brookfield Zoo
Okapi are native to the African Ituri Forest, in the northeast corner of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. At Brookfield Zoo, you can find them at Habitat Africa! The Forest.
Okapi
SSP Coordinator: Ann Petric, Curator of Mammals
Ann Petric, Okapi SSP Coordinator at Brookfield Zoo
“Many people don’t realize that forest creatures behave differently. These animals are quiet and secretive…which means you have to be patient to learn their subtle cues.” says Ann. “It’s the only way to be successful in breeding.”
Brookfield Zoo
Experienced Brookfield Zoo crew members learned over the years, when preparing a birthing area for okapi, that extra space and a special area to isolate the female help increase the chances of survival for a calf. They also know the calf spends 80% of its day resting in a particular location, and is often separated from its mother by great distances. Close observation at another zoo taught us that calves typically don’t produce solid waste for 30-50 days. All of this information is crucial to share with institutions that participate in the breeding program.

“In addition to these nuances in care, there are many other hurdles to expanding the okapi zoo population,” Ann adds. “For example, Mad Cow Disease has put a halt to receiving animals from Europe.” Until that outbreak, the North American program occasionally exchanged individuals with our European colleagues to improve the diversity of both populations. The overall numbers for this species are low, and maintaining genetic diversity becomes more difficult every year.

Despite these challenges, Chicago Zoological Society remains active in the Okapi SSP and recommends about 30 females for breeding pairs each year. Currently, the zoo population consists of 86 individuals distributed among 24 institutions.

More on the Okapi SSP:

  • Chicago Zoological Society wrote the husbandry manual for okapi which is used as a guide for their SSP.

  • In 1959, Brookfield Zoo became the first facility in North America to exhibit the species. Twenty-seven calves have been born here throughout the years.

  • The wild population is estimated to number around 5,000 in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. However, due to the elusive nature of okapi, and lack of sufficient research, this figure is an estimates at best. Learn more by checking out this article.

  • Researchers have recently confirmed the presence of okapi in the northern part of Virunga National Park in Uganda, which is an amazing discovery.

  • Zoos in Asia have shown interest in breeding okapi, and some animals have been sent to countries like Japan to help grow the population.



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