0:16:05 > 0:16:08This is Blue Peter, but mini.
0:16:08 > 0:16:13Expect epic adventures, makes, bakes, badges, pets,
0:16:13 > 0:16:15presenters and your host.
0:16:15 > 0:16:18We've only got five minutes to get ready for your Blue Peter adventure.
0:16:20 > 0:16:23We're at Chester Zoo, home to over 12,000 animals
0:16:23 > 0:16:25and a fair few babies.
0:16:27 > 0:16:29Lots of zoos have breeding programmes
0:16:29 > 0:16:33and this helps maintain the population of animals in captivity.
0:16:35 > 0:16:39I'm here to meet a pregnant okapi called Stuma
0:16:39 > 0:16:40and her zookeeper, Fi.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44So, Fi, why are okapis so unique?
0:16:44 > 0:16:46I think you just have to look at them.
0:16:46 > 0:16:48They are relatives of the giraffe
0:16:48 > 0:16:51and they have the ossicones, the horns, like giraffes do.
0:16:51 > 0:16:55- They are stunning.- How many okapis are in the wild at the moment?
0:16:55 > 0:17:00There was a report in 2013 that announced that there were
0:17:00 > 0:17:03only 10,000 okapi left in the Congo.
0:17:03 > 0:17:06Okapis are native to Central Africa
0:17:06 > 0:17:08and are now under threat due to hunting
0:17:08 > 0:17:11and their natural habitat being destroyed.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14According to the World Resources Institute, since 2000,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18forest land the size of England has been destroyed every year.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21That's why breeding programmes like this one are essential.
0:17:21 > 0:17:23So, Fi, what are we going to be doing today?
0:17:23 > 0:17:27- We need to go back inside and collect a sample.- Ah, come on, then.
0:17:29 > 0:17:33It does smell a bit in here, doesn't it? Do you get used to working here?
0:17:33 > 0:17:36- Yeah, it's worth it. - OK, so how much do you need?
0:17:36 > 0:17:39- About six pellets. Just a small amount.- OK.
0:17:40 > 0:17:42It's quite hard.
0:17:42 > 0:17:43SHE LAUGHS
0:17:43 > 0:17:44Two.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49OK, where am I going with this?
0:17:49 > 0:17:52- You need to get yourself over to the lab.- OK. Thanks, Fi.
0:17:53 > 0:17:56Studying poo samples is a really easy way to find out
0:17:56 > 0:17:59the general health of an animal. Although it is a bit gross!
0:17:59 > 0:18:03Lab technician Becky tests and monitors all the animals in the zoo.
0:18:05 > 0:18:08- Hello, Becky, good to meet you.- Hiya. - I've brought along my poo.
0:18:08 > 0:18:10- Not MY poo, obviously! - Lovely, thanks(!)
0:18:10 > 0:18:13Stuma's poo. What are we doing with it today?
0:18:13 > 0:18:17- Right, today we're going to see how much hormones in this.- OK.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21During pregnancy, hormone levels change within a mother.
0:18:21 > 0:18:25This information can tell us how close Stuma is to giving birth.
0:18:25 > 0:18:28Wow, they're really green! Why has that happened?
0:18:28 > 0:18:31Light green means there's loads of hormone in there.
0:18:31 > 0:18:32We take a reading from this
0:18:32 > 0:18:35and then we enter it into her data on the laptop here.
0:18:35 > 0:18:39This graph tells us she's about 13 months into her pregnancy.
0:18:39 > 0:18:40Sounds amazing!
0:18:40 > 0:18:43Who knew poo could show you so much?
0:18:43 > 0:18:46A few weeks later, Stuma went into labour
0:18:46 > 0:18:51and the zoo cameras were able to capture this amazing moment on film.
0:18:53 > 0:18:57After a 14-month pregnancy, a perfect baby, Usala, is born.
0:18:57 > 0:18:59So I came back to meet him.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04So, Fi, we've got little baby Usala back there.
0:19:04 > 0:19:06- How's he been getting on? - He's doing really well.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10He's seven weeks old already. Almost trebled in size.
0:19:10 > 0:19:13- Wow!- Feeding well. Yes, it's going good.
0:19:13 > 0:19:15So he's nice and healthy.
0:19:15 > 0:19:17- What does he eat at the moment? - Just Mum's milk.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20- OK, so no watermelons just yet? - No, not yet.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23- And he hasn't been to the loo yet, has he?- No.
0:19:23 > 0:19:28It's natural for okapi to not do a poo for about six weeks or more.
0:19:28 > 0:19:30- Wow!- And that's a good thing.
0:19:30 > 0:19:33In the wild, they'd nest, so if he does do a poo,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36it would mean predators would sniff out the nest
0:19:36 > 0:19:39and it's a way of protecting themselves in the wild.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41He's actually looking over at us.
0:19:41 > 0:19:43He knows we're talking about him, doesn't he?
0:19:43 > 0:19:46- Shall we let him get outside and play with his mum again?- Yeah.
0:19:49 > 0:19:52What a privilege it is to witness the start
0:19:52 > 0:19:54of such a beautiful animal's life.
0:19:54 > 0:19:56How cute do they look together?
0:19:56 > 0:19:58I think the okapi is officially my favourite animal.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Shall we go and see what else the zoo has got?
0:20:02 > 0:20:04Ah, he's great.
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Not an okapi, is it?
0:20:07 > 0:20:09Where are your stripes, mate?
0:20:11 > 0:20:13ELEPHANT TRUMPETS Nah.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17That's better.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Getting to witness the story of Usala has been amazing,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24and breeding in captivity for animals like the okapi
0:20:24 > 0:20:27is so important because they are under threat in the wild.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30So it's really key that we do everything we can to support them
0:20:30 > 0:20:32and protect their environment.
0:20:35 > 0:20:37Join in every Thursday on CBBC.