The Okapi: Congo's Mysterious “Forest Giraffe”

by Thea Kaufman, age 10

Did you know the giraffe has a close genetic relative? Known as the “forest giraffe,” the okapi resembles a cross between a zebra and a deer. The only place they can be found is the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Okapis' diet consists of buds, leaves, twigs, and some other plants. They also eat clay, possibly as a source of salt and other minerals. They have four different stomachs that help them digest tough plants. An okapi eats between 45 and 60 pounds of food every day.

Okapis are not very friendly and like to nap. They camouflage in the forest with their reddish-brown to black coats. Their big ears pick up the slightest sounds coming from any direction. They listen for leopards and any other small cats. They have really long tongues, which can get up to 18 inches.

While we do not know their life span in the wild, in captivity, okapis have been known to live about 15 to 30 years. The oldest okapi ever was 29 years old. It is very rare for an okapi to have two or more babies per pregnancy. In other words, females usually only have one calf per pregnancy. A newborn okapi calf can usually walk thirty minutes after it is born, but it cannot defecate until it is at least a month old due to the smell that attracts predators. Once it is six months old, a calf must fend for itself.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, okapis are endangered. Hunters and poachers kill okapis for their meat and skin. There are around 10,000 to 35,000 in the world. Though scientists say that the population may have halved over the past two decades.

[Sources: National Geographic; Animal Diversity Web; Maryland Zoo]