Meet Forest. He’s only been alive for a week, but this rare okapi calf born at the Denver Zoo has already experienced his share of hardship.
When Forest entered the world on Dec. 4, he was just under 40 pounds. Zoo staff quickly realized that he was unable to stand or nurse … so a team of veterinarians quietly hopped in and realized he hadn’t gotten vital antibodies from his mother.
According to the zoo, that’s when he received a plasma transfusion with help from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.
This was successful, and Forest is now strong enough to nurse on his own! He will be behind the scenes for a while as he continues to develop, but when he’s ready, you can see him at the okapi yard near the Toyota Elephant Passage, the zoo said.
Forest is the seventh okapi born at the Denver Zoo, and the second birth for both his parents, Sekele and Kalispell.
Their first calf, Jabari, was born in February 2014 and moved to a zoo in Omaha last year.
In case you’re wondering what okapis are, the zoo says they’re basically a cross between zebras sand giraffes – and they were only discovered around 100 years ago. Little is known about this species because they’re so shy and elusive.
They’re native to the Ituri Forest of the Democratic Republic of Congo and face an uncertain future due to unrest in the area.
There are believed to be between 10,000 and 50,000 okapi left in the wild.
