The Okapi House
If you are a Czech-speaking visitor, you may be a bit confused as the name for the creatures in this house sounds much like the word for eaves in Czech. But take a look inside and you will find a most unique mammal - the okapi. It is a mystical forest giraffe that lives in the area of the equator in Africa. It took many years before Dvůr Králové Zoo could proudly say they were the 13th holders of okapi in Europe and 35th zoo in the world to own them. In the wild, there are roughly 6 to 11 thousand okapis in Congo's forests. Three animals have settled in the zoo grounds so far: the males Deto and Ahadi, and a female, Etana.
A brief history
The new okapi breeding facility was added to the bongo house in 2004. The first okapi in the zoo's history, the male called Deto, was imported from Antwerp, Belgium.
Okapis name giving party
Date: 30.04.2009
Everyone at the zoo was much delighted by the birth of an okapi male. He was given the name Ewango, and you’ll see he is a really lively little chap.
