The okapi was first discovered by the western world by ZSL fellow, Sir Harry Johnston, in 1901 but what else do we know about this extraordinary and shy creature? The only place in the world that you can find a wild okapi is in the dense tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Where is the okapi found?

The okapi is native to the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo—the only place where it can be found in the wild—and has thick, oily fur to stay dry in the rain.

How did the okapi come to be?

After Canthumeryx, the family tree split into two branches, with the ancestors of the giraffe on one side and the precursors to the okapi on the other. While the giraffe ancestors' necks lengthened over time, the animals on the okapi side developed shorter necks.