Keepers at ZSL London Zoo say its pregnant okapi will have a “feisty” calf after footage was released of its baby kicking inside the womb.

The zoo, which has so far been closed for two months due to the coronavirus pandemic, has been monitoring the pregnancy of six-year-old Oni the okapi under lockdown.

The video shows the first recorded kick from the new calf, a sign that “both mother and baby are doing really well”.

Keeper Megan Harber said: “These new kick-a-thons are a sign that both mother and baby are doing really well, Oni is definitely going to have a feisty calf to look after in September and we can’t wait to meet him or her when they arrive.

“It’s definitely been challenging for us and the vet team to keep up Oni’s ultrasounds during the lockdown.

“We’ve had to keep socially distanced while caring for all the animals at the zoo, but it is vital that we keep track of Oni’s progress, both for her and the calf and for her species, about which surprisingly little is known by the scientific community.”