Some lucky guests visiting Tampa’s Lowry Park Zoo are catching a glimpse of the park's newest addition- Bahati, a 4-month-old okapi.
Bahati stays mostly on his nest but when the calf does decide to venture outside, he's been seen sprinting out of the barn to greet the sunshine, much to the delight of any guests within the Ituri Forest habitat area.
Once outside, Bahati is very interested in wild birds and also the Marabou stork who shares the exhibit.
Okapis have a very unique color pattern -- reddish-brown, velvet-like coats with horizontal zebra-like striping on their hindquarters and legs. The body shape is similar to that of a giraffe, but with a much shorter neck.
These large hoofed mammals are found in the rain forests of northern, central and eastern regions of Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Okapis are listed as a threatened species, with continued loss of habitat and political unrest in their native region. The species is a shy and reclusive forest dweller and is the only living relative of the giraffe.