The okapi once had unicorn status. Before any Western man or woman had laid their eyes on the mysterious and majestic mammal, it was deemed a myth.
Meanwhile, the Congolese knew of its true existence and its significance. The okapi is a national symbol in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
Its cultural significance alone does not save the okapi from its current fate. The well-loved animal is endangered, according to the Okapi Conservation Project.
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Posted by Sacramento Zoo on Thursday, October 23, 2025
What can save the okapi is conservation.
This is where zoos come in. Several zoos take conservation efforts seriously and play a vital role in protecting animal species. The Sacramento Zoo, for example, emphasizes species protection.
In October, the Sacramento Zoo welcomed an okapi calf to their menagerie. Employees and zoogoers alike got to witness his birth, which was the first okapi birth in the zoo's history, according to Hoodline.
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The calf and his mother, Kivuli, are in good care.
"Both our animal care team and veterinary staff worked diligently to ensure a healthy delivery for both the mother and calf," zoo officials said, per FOX40.
The Sacramento Zoo is one of approximately 30 zoos in the United States that house okapis, according to the Tanganyika Wildlife Park. In all, the U.S. has about 100 okapi in captivity.
In the dense, tropical rainforests of the DRC, between 10,000 and 15,000 okapis remain. They live out their solitary lives in the Ituri Rainforest.
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Definitely 👍 Deforestation, poaching, and mining have killed okapis, which are ecologically significant.
The okapi is an umbrella species. Protecting the okapi protects other plant and animal species in the okapi's habitat.
The Ituri Rainforest, the Okapi Conservation Project says, hosts the most biodiverse ecosystem in Africa. Each creature that lives in the Ituri Rainforest depends on the others for balance and survival.
They are also interdependent on the foliage in the rainforest. Protecting the okapi in effect protects the entire rainforest. A well-rounded and thriving rainforest can stabilize climate patterns globally.
Zoos play a significant role in species protection. Zoo-led captive breeding programs, education, research, rehabilitation, and species reintroduction are all important in protecting endangered animal species.
The officials at the Sacramento Zoo were proud of their work and told FOX40: "This successful birth reflects teamwork across our animal care team, veterinary staff, facilities staff, horticulture team, nutrition, development, and leadership. This is a milestone for the Sacramento Zoo and its impact on conservation."
"This successful birth reflects teamwork across our animal care team, veterinary staff, facilities staff, horticulture team, nutrition, development, and leadership. This is a milestone for the Sacramento Zoo and its impact on conservation," officials stated.
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