The okapi is a rainforest giraffe relative native only to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
Okapis live mainly in the dense Ituri Forest of northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. Their dark brown bodies, white facial markings, and zebra-like stripes on the legs can make them look like a hybrid, but their closest living relative is the giraffe. Both species belong to the family Giraffidae.
The okapi’s long, flexible tongue helps it strip leaves from plants. Its striped hindquarters may help individuals recognize one another in dim forest habitat, although the precise function of the pattern is still discussed by researchers. Okapis are generally solitary, with adults meeting mainly to breed.
Western science learned of the animal in the early twentieth century. European observers initially suspected that reports described a forest zebra, but anatomical and genetic evidence established the okapi as a distinct giraffid. It is now a national symbol of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.