Watch as baby okapi calf takes first steps into the spring sunshine at Yorkshire Wildlife Park

Okapi calf, Mzimu, has taken his first steps into the sunshine with mum, Ruby.

The sweet venture was captured eagerly on camera by the animal team at the park, near Doncaster.

Kyrie Birkett, deputy team leader, said: “We’ve been watching Mzimu closely as he has gradually become curious to explore.

“It’s been so nice to see him running around in the sunshine.

“The visitors who have spotted him already have been so excited.”

Okapi calves are very vulnerable in their first few months and the team say Mzimu has made ‘amazing progress’ so far.

Okapis, native to rainforests in the Congo, are on the IUCN red list of threatened species as they battle severe threats from poachers, logging, and illegal mining.

Mzimu's birth, on October 30 last year, was the first okapi calf successfully bred at the park as part of a conservation programme and was hailed as a major advance for the species.

It is believed that there have been only 4 successful Okapi births in Europe during 2021.

Kyrie added: “We are delighted to see Mzimu doing so well as okapis are so endangered. He was named Mzimu, which means ghost or spirit in Swahili because he was born a few hours before Halloween.

“He is the first calf for Ruby, who has been so protective over him."

Mum, Ruby, and dad, Nuru, arrived at the park in 2018 and are important members of the European Endangered Species Programme.

Nuru has now moved to Marwell as part of the breeding programme.

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