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30th Aug 2022

Dublin Zoo seeks perfect name for their new okapi calf

Katy Thornton

dublin zoo okapi calf

This wee fella needs a name.

 

Dublin Zoo has a new (adorable) resident in the form of a male okapi calf, and he’s in need of a name. As they often do, the zoo has put it to the people (that’s you) to come up with their best suggestions.

According to the Dublin Zoo website:

The baby was born in the early morning of Thursday 7th July to parents Lumara and Kitabu. The male okapi is the second okapi calf to ever be born in Ireland!

Okapis are considered to be endangered due to habitat loss, hunting, deforestation and civil unrest.

There are some rules when it comes to the naming of this little okapi. As okapis are native to the Ituri Rainforest, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dublin Zoo are asking those competing to do their research and suggest names of African origin.

Think you have the perfect name for this wee fella? Make sure you enter before the competition ends on the 9th September. You can do so HERE. You’ll get the honour of having named the okapi calf, as well as a free family day pass.

And if you feel like you need to get a good look at the okapi calf first, why not pay a visit? You may just catch a glimpse of him at the African Plains section of Dublin Zoo (if you’re lucky).

Header image via Instagram/dublinzoo_official

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