Antwerp ZOO welcomes new Okapi: “Xandor is small, nice and sharp!” † Antwerp
AntwerpFantastic news! Xandor is the youngest member of the okapi family in Antwerp ZOO. Mama Lindi gave birth to her second calf a month ago in the Moorish Temple. This is a first for sire Semuliki. Antwerp ZOO is the worldwide okapi expert and matchmaker for new couples. This birth is great news for this endangered species.
After a gestation of a fourteen months okapi Lindi on Wednesday February 23 early in the morning of a small, but nice. It is a male and he weighs 17 kilograms at birth. Rather a lightweight among okapis. His height at the withers of 76 centimeters continues in the same line. “He is small, fine and sharp!” says caregiver Nicky enthusiastically. Every okapi birth is great news! The animals are endangering nature in their survival.
Xandor, brave name
In the run-up to the determination, the caretakers take turns eyeing the webcam in the farrowing pen. In the early morning it was born and caretaker Isabel got the scoop: The okapi baby of the caretakers was named Xandor, meaning protector of the people. Like all other animals born this year at Antwerp ZOO, the little one was given a name starting with an X.
Proud coordinator Patrick: “Okapis come in two categories: the following animals that docilely stand on their feet and the stinging pistils that swing their legs in all directions. Xandor is a great example of an energetic okapi.” Like all okapis, Xandor has a unique striped pattern on its buttocks and legs.
Xandor is very unique want what do the caretakers notice? He has a pink tongue! This is very special with okapis, because normally they have a long tongue of 35 centimeters in a blue-grey color from birth. Coordinator Patrick, who has been working with okapis at the ZOO for more than 32 years, has only seen this once before. Xandor stays nice and warm in the stable for a month. From 15°C he puts his first outside.
Okapimatchmaker
As the coordinator of the European breeding program and as an international studbook keeper, Antwerp ZOO is the expert for okapis. When breeding dangerous animals, we always ask ourselves the same question: how many animals do you need to maintain a genetically healthy reserve population? With okapis the target is 270 animals, but worldwide there are only 178 animals in zoos. If we want to achieve this population growth in 100 years, ten okapis must be born worldwide every year”, says Sander Hofman, manager of the international studbook for okapis. The ZOO wants to build up a reserve population with the breeding program. “If necessary, we can bring animals back to Congo in the future.”
existing five okapis live in Antwerp ZOO: mama Lindi and newborn Xandor, papa Semuliki, pregnant female Zaire and young male Ubundu. Antwerp ZOO is a matchmaker for new couples. Who mates best with whom to maintain as much diversity as possible and help the species survive? Last year thirteen animals were born worldwide, and nine in Europe. “We hope for a second birth in Antwerp ZOO at the end of this year, because okapi Zaire is also pregnant.”
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