Pronounced /oʊˈkɑː.pi/, this artiodactyl mammal is not very well known. The okapi is native to the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as it is the only place where it can be found in the wild.
Identification
The okapi has a chocolate to reddish brown coat with white horizontal stripes and rings on its legs and white ankles. Male okapis, have short horn-like protuberances on their heads called ossicones.
Diet
The okapi are herbivores, they feed on tree leaves and buds, grasses, ferns, fruits, and fungi. Their plant-based diet consists of only vegetation, a okapi consumes between 45 and 60 pounds of food each day, including riverbed clay for minerals and salt.
The okapi is classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources.
