The endangered okapi is a fascinating mammal whose appearance more resembles a zebra than its closest living relative: the giraffe. This gentle creature is much smaller than the giraffe, standing about five feet tall and averaging about eight feet in length. It will occasionally headbutt adversaries when threatened, but is more inclined to hide from danger than confront it head on. Weighing between 440-770 pounds, the okapi inhabits the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, where it subsists on vegetation.
The endangered okapi has a very distinct look, with a dark brown body and white legs with black stripes, calling to mind the patterns of the zebra. The neck is fairly elongated, with large and flexible ears. Male okapi have small hairy horns, while the females have circular patches of hair atop their heads. Pregnancy lasts about 450 days and generally produces just one calf. The female okapi reaches sexual maturity just 1.5 years after being born, with an average lifespan between 20 and 30 years.
Okapi are generally awake during the day, a prime time for food foraging. While females stay in the same general territory, males migrate widely. While searching for leaves, fungus, grass, ferns, and other plant life, they must remain alert for predators, particularly leopards. However, man is a much bigger threat to the survival of the okapi than its natural predators.
Fortunately, the endangered okapi has a few allies. The Okapi Conservation Project is dedicated to preserving this incredible species. Founded in 1987, this organization is instrumental in providing information about this rare animal and placing protections around it. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve was created specifically for the protection of these animals in the Congo, and the Maiko National Park is home to a population of okapi. These places watch over and breed the okapi, which allows the population to recover and educates the public about this unique mammal’s existence.
The okapi is listed as Endangered by the IUCN (International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources), and is nationally protected under Congolese law. Their greatest threats come from human encroachment on their habitat via logging and illegal mining, as well as being hunted for their meat and hide.
Disturbingly, illegal armed groups have stationed themselves outside areas established to protect the endangered okapi, making monitoring and other conservation work extremely difficult. Whether the endangered okapi population will survive human infiltration remains to be seen.
Featured Image from Brian McGowan/Unsplash
