Conservation breeding programs for the critically endangered okapi in zoological settings.
Okapi conservation breeding represents a case where captive welfare must accommodate the complex nutritional and behavioral needs of a species evolved for dense tropical forest. The slow reproduction rate means each individual in the zoo population is precious for genetic diversity maintenance, creating high welfare stakes for each animal. Nutritional management is particularly challenging, as okapi require diverse browse species difficult to source consistently in temperate zoo settings. The conservation justification for the program is genuine given the species' trajectory, but requires sustained welfare investment to maintain a population in condition sufficient for long-term breeding success.