The Zoological Garden in Dvur Kralove, which is known for breeding large herds of African ungulates, had been trying for years to obtain this unusual and fascinating animal. Great effort and, primarily, close involvement in European breeding programmes bore fruit: the zoo now keeps three okapis, including two males and one female.
The first okapi was brought to the Dvur Kralove Zoo in 2004. It was Deto, a male born in the Rotterdam Zoo. Deto was first transferred to Antwerp (November 29, 2002) and then to Dvur Kralove (July 16, 2004). He became the first ever okapi in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. A year later, another male, Ahadi, arrived from Basel. Finally, a much awaited female, Etana, came in 2006 from the Antwerp Zoo. Breeding of okapis in Europe is coordinated centrally under the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) for Okapi. The EEP coordinator, in cooperation with selected experts, recommends suitable pairs for mating to maintain genetic variation, and advises and assists all breeders. The coordinator chose Ahadi as the life partner for Etana.
In 2006, when Etana arrived at Dvur Kralove, first breeding attempts started but had to be terminated prematurely and postponed by a year because Etana had not entered the oestrous cycle yet and Ahadi started to be aggressive. This decision proved correct. An analysis of excrement by the Veterinary Institute in Vienna showed that oestrous cycle started in Etana. The keepers put the two together again to find a completely different behaviour: the female no longer ran away from the male and the male sniffed at the female and followed her around the enclosure, until finally in July, they mated. They were together all summer and autumn. At the end of autumn, when Ahadi started to be aggressive again, they were separated. The female was then closely watched: she was weighted every day for weight gains, and excrement was analysed regularly to determine the oestrous cycle or gestation. At the end of the year when Etana started to gain weight regularly, good news arrived from Vienna, confirming what everyone suspected. Professor Swarzenberger's tests showed that Etana was in calf. Let's wish Etana and all the keepers in Dvur Kralove the best of luck, smooth progress of things and delivery without complication in "due course", i.e. at the end of September. We hope that we will be able to bring you the good new on this website.
Future plans
Ahadi was chosen as the breeding male because he is more suitable for Etana from the genetic point of view. Deto has not been designated any female in the EPP yet but the programme reckons with him for breeding in the future. The coordinator monitors the whole population for animals suitable for breeding and can visit any facility at any time. However, there is no system to these visits. All breeding issues are discussed with the coordinator immediately to find a solution within the whole population. Dvur Kralove would like to obtain another female but the decision lies solely in the coordinator's hands.
What lies ahead of our young of the forest? We shall see. Usually, the young are separated from their mothers at the age of 8 to 10 months. Its placement is decided by the coordinator.
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