Okapi
Okapia johnstoni
Animal facts
Only officially discovered in 1901 (and given its scientific name at a meeting of ZSL), this elusive forest-dweller has a short, dense, velvety coat and a long, black, prehensile tongue like its closest relative, the giraffe.
The young use their mother’s unique pattern of stripes on her hindquarters to identify her. The main threat to okapi is the commercial bushmeat trade.
Where they live
Democratic Republic of Congo, Central Africa
Habitat
Tropical forest
What they eat
Leaves, soft twigs, shoots, fruits and other plant parts
