Okapis are shy forest mammals from the Congo Basin that are rarely seen in the wild and present specific welfare challenges in captive settings including sensitivity to sound and social isolation.
Okapi welfare in zoos is shaped by their extreme shyness and sensitivity. Unlike many zoo species that habituate relatively quickly to public presence and noise, okapis can remain chronically stressed by zoo visitor activity. Their low density in the wild means social needs are very different from herd species; they do well as solitary individuals but may need carefully managed introductions for breeding. Understanding the natural history of this poorly studied species is essential to providing appropriate captive conditions, and the precautionary principle suggests erring on the side of minimal disturbance.