Okapis are a cute animal unique animal: they look a mixture between a Deer and a Zebra, with their beautiful colours and stripes.
Although Okapis look like a mixture between a Deer and a Zebra, they are actually related to Giraffes - one of their nicknames is 'The Forest Giraffe'. Both Giraffes and Okapis belong to the animal family known as the 'Giraffidae'. The Giraffidae only has two species of animals within the group: 1) Giraffes, and 2) Okapis. There are also subspecies of Giraffes.
Okapis like Giraffes are mammals.
Where Are Okapis Found?
Like with Giraffes, Okapis are found in Africa, but these cute animals are only found in one country in Africa: the Democratic Republic of Congo.
What Is The Habitat Of Okapis?
Okapis are found within forests.
What Do These Animals Eat?
Okapis are herbivores; they only eat plants.
Their main diet consists of plants like: fungi, fruit, grass and leafs from trees within the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
What Are Their Conservation Status?
These animals are an endangered species today, and their population is decreasing according to the last time they were assessed.
Okapis were listed as an endangered species in 2013. They were listed as an endangered species as their population had dropped by half in just nearly 20 years. Today, they are still listed as an endangered species.
Today there are only 10,000 Okapis living in the wild.
What Are The Threats That Okapis Face?
Okapis face many threats which could lead to their extinction in the future. One of the major threats that they face today is the destruction of their habitat.
How Can You Help Okapis?
Okapis don't have to become extinct, we can help prevent their extinction. If you want to help Okapis, then you can adopt one with the WWF - here.