It’s a boy: Sacramento Zoo marks milestone birth of first okapi calf
A newborn okapi has made history as the first-ever of the species to be born at the Sacramento Zoo.
The male calf entered the world Oct. 9, said Sacramento Zoo officials through a statement. Both the yet-unnamed calf and mother, Kivuli, are healthy and being monitored by zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams.
This successful birth reflects teamwork across our animal care team, veterinary staff, facilities staff, horticulture team, nutrition, development and leadership,” officials said in a statement. “This is a milestone for the Sacramento Zoo and its impact on conservation.”
Kivuli gave birth to her calf during the day Thursday. Zoo patrons were able to see the moment unfold as guests had a partial view of the birth in the side yard of the okapi habitat next to the okapi barn, zoo officials said.
“Our animal care team and veterinary staff will monitor both closely in the next few weeks, and the pair will be off exhibit during this period to adjust,” zoo officials said, adding that “more information will be released as the calf reaches critical milestones in the coming days.”
The okapi’s birth is not only a milestone for the Sacramento Zoo, but for the endangered species, the only living relative of the giraffe and one of fewer than 100 of the species across 27 U.S. installations within the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, said zoo officials.
Conservationists count the wild okapi population at anywhere from 10,000 to 15,000. Okapi are found in the forests of central Africa including in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
This story was originally published October 14, 2025 at 10:12 AM.
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