Disney Celebrates World Okapi Day
Today marks a very special occasion for the animal kingdom. Along with the rest of the world, Disney is celebrating World Okapi Day!
Beni the Baby Okapi
Speaking of okapi, Mickey Blog recently shared that a new baby was born at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. He arrived just in time to shed light on the endangered species.


Photo: Disney
Beni is the 5th okapi to be born at the Lodge, and the 12th born at Walt Disney World. It’s been four years since a calf was born at the Resort, making it an exciting arrival for the team.
Disney Animal Keeper Mori
Today, Disney Parks Blog is celebrating World Okapi Day with a heartwarming post about one of Animal Kingdom’s treasured zoo keepers. Mori was 13 when she fell in love with the okapi species.


Photo: Disney
Often referred to by Guests as a zebra horse, the animal remains elusive to most. The okapi is indeed a reclusive creature, living in remote rainforests in Africa.
Its mysterious nature appealed to Mori, causing her to dream of working with them. When she was 16 years old, she saw an okapi for the first time at the Bronx Zoo in New York.


Photo: Disney
The buildup did not disappoint! She recalls, “It was the most beautiful animal I’d ever seen. I was in shock and awe that it was actually in front of me, and ever since then I’ve been obsessed.”
Mori has been Disney Cast Member for 30 years. Although she works with many different animal species, the highlight of her career has been working with the okapi.


Photo: okapiconservation.org
World Okapi Day
World Okapi Day was created by the Okapi Conservation Project with its first holiday commencing on October 18, 2016. It was established to celebrate the animal, whose livelihood is threatened by slash-and-burn agriculture, illegal gold mining, and bushmeat poaching.
In honor of the day, Mori has a simple request. “Learn more about them and consider donating to projects like Okapi Conservation Project to help protect okapis and the forests around them.”


Photo: Disney
That sounds like an honorable, worthwhile task that fans can participate in as Disney celebrates World Okapi Day!