Okapi

africa · rainforest · mammal

Zebra stripes, giraffe family. The okapi has striped legs like a zebra, but it's most closely related to the giraffe. They're the only two living members of the same animal family!

Forest giraffe. Okapis live in the rainforests of the northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa, which is why they're nicknamed 'forest giraffes.'

Super long tongue. Like giraffes, okapis have a very long tongue. It's so long they can even use it to clean their own eyes and ears!

Hidden and rare. Okapis are shy and hard to spot. Scientists even use non-invasive genetic clues to find populations, including one possibly southwest of the Congo River.