VIDEO: Meet Beni, Animal Kingdom’s NEW Baby Okapi
We’ve got a very special treat for you on this Saturday morning. Disney Animal Kingdom is introducing us to a brand new animal baby and Okapi named Beni!
His arrival is just in time for World Okapi Day (October 18th) which recognizes the significance of this endangered animal. Beni was born back in July to mom Olivia and we’re told the pair are still bonding backstage.
Beni is the twelfth okapi that has been born at Walt Disney World and the fifth at Animal Kingdom Lodge. Beni is the first calf to be born at Walt Disney World since 2018 and he currently comes in at just short of 100 lbs. He also stands a little over three feet tall and could eventually grow between five and six feet tall and up to 650 pounds.
In the coming months Beni will make his debut on the Pembe Savanna at Animal Kingdom Lodge so be on the lookout.
Beni’s name came from a town in the Democratic Republic of Congo where these endangered animals can be found. The Okapi live in the rainforests and black and white stripes on their hindquarters and front legs help camouflage them among the trees.
Though they make look closer to zebras, they are actually closely related to giraffes. Check out video of adorable Beni below:
We’re told that okapi calves tuck themselves into nests where they hide from predators. Okapis are known for being shy and reclusive and are known as “ghosts of the forests” because their are hard to spot in the wild.
The Okapi’s are revered by the people that live in the Congo.
Today, it is estimated that there are 20,000 okapi in the world and their population continues to decline and their habitat endangered. With this in mind, in 2020 the Disney Conservation Fund recognized the Okapi Conservation Project agroforestry team with the Disney Conservative Hero award.
The award recognizes passionate individuals and teams who are working to save wildlife and engage their communities in conservation solutions.
Readers are encouraged to keep following along with MickeyBlog for further Walt Disney World news and updates. We’ll be coming to you LIVE! from the theme parks each and every week.
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