CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden announced the birth of a baby okapi Monday, which is a rare and endangered species. 

The zoo said the mom is Kuvua, and the dad is Kiloro. A lot of the details about the baby are unknown at this time, as the vet staff plans to give the calf an exam later this week to determine the sex and weight. 

"This is Kuvua’s fourth calf, and she is an amazing momma,” said Renee Carpenter, senior keeper at the Cincinnati Zoo. “She’s being attentive to the little one’s every need. The calf is strong and looks healthy. It’s also super soft and fuzzy.”

The zoo said through the winter, the mom and baby will continue to bond behind the scenes. Visitors will get their first look at the baby later this spring. 

It's the 18th okapi birth at the Cincinnati Zoo since 1989. The zoo said okapis are classified as threatened because of habitat destruction and poaching, leaving its population at around 15,000. 

The unique species is classified by their reddish-brown coloration with horizontal black and white stripes on the front and back legs. The zoo said these stripes help offspring follow their mothers through dense forests. 

Okapis are the only relatives of giraffes, and while they resemble them in body structure, okapis have shorter necks.