Sacramento Zoo names first-ever okapi calf. ‘Stop by and say hi’ to him
The Sacramento Zoo’s youngest calf officially has a name. Zoo staff announced Saturday that their male okapi calf will be called Moki — a name inspired by his parents, Molimo and Kivuli.
The announcement comes after the zoo invited the public in January to take part in naming the Land Park facility’s first-ever okapi calf.
“Moki continues to grow every day, now reaching around 250 pounds,” zoo officials wrote. “As he grows, he gets more and more curious of his surroundings! Be sure to stop by and say hi to Moki next to you visit the zoo!”
The zoo’s Facebook video shows the audience cheering as the calf’s name was revealed during the announcement.
Moki’s birth in October represented a meaningful step for okapi conservation. Native to central Africa, the species is endangered and is the only remaining relative of the giraffe, with a sharply limited population in the wild.
The decline in their population is driven largely by human activity, including habitat loss from logging and mining, as well as poaching and armed conflict in their native range in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, according to conservationists.
“This successful birth reflects teamwork across our animal care team, veterinary staff, facilities staff, horticulture team, nutrition, development and leadership,” zoo officials said at the time of Moki’s birth.
