Rainforest Wild Adventure celebrates the first okapi born in Southeast Asia
Kisala and her newborn calf in their off-exhibit den at Rainforest Wild Adventure East.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Ms Cecilia Tang, Curator, Animal Care (Operations), Mandai Wildlife Group, said, “After Kisala was paired with Xandor, we observed changes in her appetite and body condition and began preparing for the possibility of a pregnancy. An ultrasound in July confirmed she was expecting a calf, which was an exciting milestone for the team. Kisala has been an excellent mother, and her calf is thriving, gaining nearly a kilogramme a day on average. We recently gave them access to their outdoor habitat, but the calf is still taking time to get used to his new surroundings. We're allowing him to explore and build confidence at his own pace, so it may take some time before visitors see more of him.”
Okapis have one of the longest gestation periods among hoofed mammals, lasting around 440 days, or 14 to 15 months. They are also highly elusive by nature, an instinct that shows from an early age. Unlike many newborn animals that follow their mothers around, okapi calves naturally spend much of their early days hidden and still to avoid detection by predators, with their mothers returning only a few times a day to nurse. Newborn calves are also believed to carry very little scent during this period, which adds another layer of protection while they stay hidden.
To support this natural behaviour, the team built a quiet, secluded calving box where the calf can rest and feed undisturbed during its first few months of life, drawing on husbandry practices from other zoological institutions that had successfully bred okapis.
Listed as Endangered under the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, okapis are native to the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, and only a handful of zoos worldwide care for the species. They are the closest living relatives of giraffes, sharing traits such as long, flexible tongues and ossicones – the bony, horn-like structures on the male’s head.
Vote for the Calf’s Name
Members of the public are invited to help name Southeast Asia’s first okapi calf on Facebook (@MandaiWildlifeReserve) and Instagram (@MandaiWildlifeReserve). The three options, inspired by African languages, are:
● Imara – meaning strong, reflecting courage, resilience and growth in Swahili
● Mayaka – meaning pearl, symbolising a precious and treasured gift in Lingala
● Kiah – meaning dawn, new beginnings, or start of the season in Swahili
Guests can head to Hidden Forest at Rainforest Wild Adventure East for a chance to see Kisala and her calf, while Xandor can be spotted in a separate habitat nearby. As the calf is still settling into the habitat and may retreat to the off-exhibit den, guests can also catch glimpses of it via the ‘baby monitor’ which provides a live feed from the den. Those who wish to learn more about the elusive species can also join the daily Okapi Ranger Talk at 10.30am and 3pm, where keepers share more about okapis and their unique behaviours.
In celebration of the calf’s birth, guests can enjoy okapi-themed offerings across the precinct. An okapi-inspired cake will be available from October at selected dining outlets, including Rangers Pitstop and Rangers Retreat in the adventure-based wildlife park and Owa Bistro at Mandai Wildlife East. Guests can also take an okapi souvenir home from the retail shop at Rainforest Wild Adventure East, featuring soft toys, tumblers, lanyards and more.
New species at Rainforest Wild Adventure East
More new arrivals are also making their home at Rainforest Wild Adventure. The sitatunga is a swamp-dwelling antelope and a new addition to Red Ravine, identifiable by its chestnut coat, faint vertical white stripes and a horizontal white stripe along its lower side.
Lemur Land will also progressively welcome more lemur species, with the crowned lemur and red-bellied lemur expected to debut by November. Together, they will bring the total number of lemur species in this Madagascan-themed rainforest to four.
Residents with a WildPass membership enjoy local admission rates to Rainforest Wild Adventure from S$25 for senior citizens, S$32 for children aged three to 12 and local students aged 25 and below, and S$45 for adults. Visit www.mandai.com for more details.
Elusive by nature, okapi calves tend to go into hiding a few days after birth. The calf spends much of its time in a specially built calving box within its den.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
As a first-time mother, seven-year-old Kisala has taken well to motherhood and has been observed tenderly caring for her young calf.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
The newborn male okapi calf at Rainforest Wild Adventure, weighing about 20kg at his first weigh-in on 28 July 2026, a day after his birth.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Four-year-old Xandor in his habitat at Rainforest Wild Adventure’s Hidden Forest. The species remained unknown to modern science until 1901 and was once referred to as the "African unicorn" for its rarity and elusiveness before it was formally documented.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Female sitatungas forage amongst the vegetation at Rainforest Wild Adventure East’s Red Ravine.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
Red-bellied lemur at Lemur Land – the Madagascan-themed habitat in Rainforest Wild Adventure East.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
A lineup of okapi-inspired keepsakes now available at Rainforest Wild Adventure Shop East, perfect for okapi fans of all ages.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
A refined entremet inspired by the okapi's stripes, layered with blueberry, mascarpone chantilly and cassis, now available at select dining spots across the park from October.
Photo credit: Mandai Wildlife Group
