Rare Animals Debuted: Snow Leopard and Okapi

by Blaine Metzgar | July 10, 2009 at 03:37 pm

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Two rare animals were debuted this week; a snow leopard cub at the Berlin Animal Park and an Okapi at the Denver Zoo. The leopard cub is named Altai was debuted on Friday July 10, 2009.

Berlin's Tierpark introduced their latest off-spring today: "Altai", a little snow leopard, was born on April 25.

The male is the sixth litter of mother "Sayan". His weight has reached about five kilograms, and at 10 weeks age, "Altai" is following his mother everywhere.

Kalispell, the female Okapi, was born on June 27 but will stay behind the scenes of the zoo for some time longer until she makes her home in Okapi area of the zoo for viewing.

Okapis look like a cross between zebras and giraffes. In fact, they are the only living relative to the giraffe.

The calf was born on June 27. And she is only the fifth birth of this species at the zoo.

Okapis have long necks, reddish bodies and black-and-white striped legs. Their purple tongues are about 12 inches long and are used to grab and hold food.