Copenhagen Zoo and female okapi deliver a month later than planned

Rare birth delayed by a miscarriage in the first term

Animal enthusiasts crowded around desks like chimps waiting for feeding time at the end of August.

Live: Okapi fødsel i Zoo” promised the DR link – the first birth of one of the African animals at Copenhagen Zoo for 50 years – but both failed to deliver.

READ MORE: Baby giraffe born at the Copenhagen Zoo could meet the same fate as Marius

Make like Marius?
Perhaps the clue to the new-born okapi’s non-appearance was in its Latin name, giraffid artiodactyl.

Had the giraffe-like animal with zebra-ish markings heard about the fate of Marius and other unfortunates and decided to take refuge in its mother’s womb – permanently?

Second time lucky
A new month on Saturday, and long awaited new addition, finally brought some answers via an examination of the mother.

No, the expectant okapi hadn’t added four weeks to its normal 15-month gestation period, it had miscarriaged during its first term and got pregnant again.

It would appear that in the long shadows of the enclosures, there are still things the animals get up to away from the prying eyes of their matchmaking custodians.

See the zoo’s video of the birth below.





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