London Zoo has honored Prince Harry’s fiancee by naming its newborn okapi after her.
The zoo said Wednesday the animal born in early December was named Meghan to celebrate the upcoming wedding of Harry and American actress Meghan Markle.
The okapi (oh-COP-ee) have striped hindquarters like zebras but are related to giraffes. Native to the Democratic Republic of Congo, they sometimes are called a forest giraffe or zebra giraffe.
⭐️EXCITING NEWS ⭐️ An #endangered #okapi has been born! Zookeepers have named her Meghan, after Meghan Markle, in celebration of the upcoming #royalwedding https://t.co/wnlV2OH2ec pic.twitter.com/7jVyyEyFde
— ZSL London Zoo (@zsllondonzoo) January 16, 2018
Zoo officials say the young mammal is doing well and that Meghan’s mother, Oni, watches over her while she sleeps.
Zookeeper Gemma Metcalf said the birth is “a great opportunity to draw attention to the okapi, which is an extremely endangered species.”
Harry and Markle’s wedding is planned for May 19.
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