London zoo names newborn Okapi after Meghan Markle

LONDON: Meghan Markle, the American actress who is engaged to Britain’s Prince Harry, has a new namesake after London zoo named a just-born Okapi after her in honour of her wedding in May. Meghan the Okapi was born on Dec. 9 2017 to Oni, in a roughly 30-minute labour captured on camera by zoo keepers. The zoo released the first pictures of the animal in recent days. Okapis are members of the giraffe family - though they do not have the long neck. Native to the Democratic Republic of Congo, they are notable for zebra-like stripes on their hind quarters and upper legs. “We´re very pleased with how mother and baby are doing. Oni is being very attentive, making sure she regularly licks her clean and keeping a watchful eye over Meghan as she sleeps,” zookeeper Gemma Metcalf said in a statement.