Birth of Rare ‘African Unicorn’ Celebrated
Happy Youth Day!
Today we thought we would share some exciting news about the birth of an ‘African Unicorn’ and the future of this very rare species which only lives in the wild in our neighbouring Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Conservationists at Chester Zoo, in England, are celebrating the birth of Nia Nia, a rare ‘African Unicorn’ – also known an okapi or forest giraffe (Okapia johnstoni). Seven year old mother, K’tusha, gave birth to Nia Nia after a 14 month pregnancy at the Zoo.
“The birth of an okapi calf is cause for great celebration – they are incredibly rare and incredibly special. Mum K’Tusha is so far doing a wonderful job of caring for her new born. Watching her gently encourage her new baby to its feet in those precious moments shortly after her birth was a real privilege to see.”
“Okapis are incredibly secretive animals and, for a little while following her birth, Nia Nia had not wanted to venture too far and had instead remained snuggled up in her cosy nest area, with mum returning to her every few hours to allow her to feed. But now she’s gaining in confidence every single day; she’s bouncing with energy and eager explore. She’s a joy to watch – she’s all ears and long, spindly legs!” Sarah Roffe, Team Manager of the okapis at Chester Zoo
The zookeepers named Nia Nia in tribute to the village in the centre of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, where their field partners are based in the DRC.
Okapi were only discovered in 1901 and are nicknamed the ‘African unicorn’ due to their shy and elusive nature. Their zebra-like stripes on their back legs allow offspring to easily follow their mothers into DRC’s dense forests, helping them to keep hidden from predators. They are the only known living relative of the giraffe and are the national symbol of the DRC, being protected under Congolese law. Despite this protection, okapi have suffered a 50% decline in the past two decades – being hunted illegally for its meat and skin and due to habitat loss. Okapi are also listed as ‘endangered’ on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature’s (IUCN) Red List of Threated Species.
“These gentle creatures have been heavily targeted by poachers in recent years, mainly as a result of the illegal bush meat trade, which is growing across nearly all of its natural range – making conservation efforts to protect these animals really difficult. With only 76 okapis in zoos across Europe, and with sightings in the wild becoming even less common than before, every birth is therefore vital to the endangered species breeding programme. The safety-net population in progressive zoos is protecting future conservation options for the okapi, so not only is Nia Nia’s arrival an important moment for us, it’s an important moment for the species.” Nick Davis, Deputy Curator of Mammals at Chester Zoo
You can see more photos and find out how Chester Zoo is helping with the conservation future of DRC’s wildlife at their website – www.chesterzoo.org and see more pictures of Nia Nia on their Facebook Page
Main photo – © Chester Zoo