Audubon staff monitor closely to ensure the safety of both mother and calf during the pregnancy.<\/p>\n
NEW ORLEANS \u2014 Audubon Nature Institute announced that one of its endangered okapi is pregnant at the Freeport-McMoRan Audubon Species Survival Center.<\/p>\n
Eight-year-old \u201cAsili\u201d is expected to give birth to her second calf by the end of the year following a nearly 14-month pregnancy. The father, 10-year-old Miraq, is the father, and this will be his first calf.<\/p>\n
Okapi, which is a mammal closely related to the giraffe, are listed as endangered on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Species. They are native to the dense forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo and are the only living relatives of giraffes.<\/p>\n
Asili\u2019s first calf, born in 2022, died after a few months due to an untreatable congenital defect. Audubon staff are monitoring her current pregnancy closely using cameras to ensure the safety and health of both mother and calf.<\/p>\n
Audubon has participated in the Species Survival Plan for okapi since 2017. The center has five okapi on 26 acres with specialized facilities for their care.<\/p>\n
The Audubon Nature Institute says Okapi populations in the wild have declined by an estimated 50% over the past 20 years due to hunting, mining, human encroachment, and deforestation.<\/p>\n
Next week, Audubon will host the International Okapi Meeting, bringing together conservation leaders from eight countries and 31 zoos to discuss efforts to protect the species.<\/p>\n
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