Okapi

• Scientific name: Okapia johnstoni • Also known as: “forest giraffe” • Habitat: Endemic to the Ituri Forest in Congo • Classification: Endangered • Threats: Poaching, mining, deforestation • Size: About the size of a horse, 6ft at the head and 5ft at the shoulder • Gestation period: 15 months • Most distinctive features: Head is similar to a giraffe sans the long neck, body is like that of a horse with velvety fur while its rear end features horizontal white stripes like that of a zebra; has a tongue that’s 14 to 18 inches long used for foraging and grooming • Diet: Herbivore, feeds on leaves, shoots, fruit • Characteristics: Solitary, shy and elusive