{"id":69467,"date":"2026-03-20T11:57:18","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T11:57:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/?p=69467"},"modified":"2026-03-20T12:28:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T12:28:49","slug":"a-baby-okapi-has-made-its-public-debut-at-yorkshire-wildlife-park","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shefnews.co.uk\/index.php\/2026\/03\/20\/a-baby-okapi-has-made-its-public-debut-at-yorkshire-wildlife-park\/","title":{"rendered":"A baby Okapi has made its public debut at Yorkshire Wildlife Park"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Neo, the baby Okapi, which is often referred to as the ‘forest giraffe,’ was born on the 27th of December at Yorkshire Wildlife Park.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The wildlife park, near Doncaster, has been involved in breeding programmes since 2009, and have had Okapi at the park since October 2021.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They are only one of four places in the UK to have this breed, with others being Chester and Bristol zoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kyrie Birkett, Head of Hoofstock at YWP, said: “They are an amazing species, just so unique and so different to everything else. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We are very lucky to have them here.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Okapi’s are native to the Congo Rainforest and have been an endangered species since 1995, with approximately 25,000 left in the wild.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They can grow to almost 5ft tall (1.52m) at the shoulder with an average body length of 8ft (2.4m), weighing up to 771lb (350kg) and can live up to 30 years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neo’s mother Ruby was sent to Chester Zoo in 2023 to bread with their male Stomp, as part of a breeding programme for Okapi in zoo’s across Europe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mr Birkett said: “It’s a really nice story that other places collaborate with each other. There is no competition, it’s just a really nice community.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ruby’s first calf Mzimu, born in 2021 is currently at ZSL Zoo in London, for another breeding programme. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yorkshire Wildlife Park has been open since April 2009, holding over 400 animals across 70 species. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

These include a variety of exotic animals such as polar bears, lions and giraffes, making it a great destination for wildlife enthusiasts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yorkshire Wildlife Park | Animals | Days out in Yorkshire<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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