Okapi

Classification and size

The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) belongs to the giraffe family, Giraffidae. It has a long neck, large ears and striped upper legs and rump. Adult males usually have short skin-covered horns called ossicones. The Okapi Conservation Project gives a typical shoulder height of roughly 1.5 metres. The body is lower to the ground than a giraffe’s, and the dark coat and stripes can make the animal hard to pick out against the light and shade of dense forest.

Habitat and distribution

The okapi is native to the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lives in the dense forests of the Congo Basin, including the Ituri Forest. In the forest it uses paths and looks for food among understory plants, where visibility is often limited. Its restricted range makes the condition of those forests particularly important. Protected areas such as the Okapi Wildlife Reserve cover some of the habitat, with other populations living elsewhere in the country.

Diet and behaviour

Okapis browse on vegetation, including leaves, buds and shoots. They use a long, mobile tongue to pull foliage from stems. This is a feature they share with giraffes, although an okapi reaches into dense vegetation close to the ground. Adults are usually solitary. They can leave scent on the paths they travel, which helps them communicate in a habitat where they may rarely see one another. An animal’s feeding trail can reveal how it makes use of a forest with many different plants at different heights.

Conservation

The IUCN lists the okapi as Endangered. Forest loss and degradation, poaching and snares are among the threats. The animal is difficult to observe directly in dense forest. Surveying signs along trails and using remote cameras can help conservation teams learn which areas are still used.

Sources

• Okapi Conservation Project — The Okapi