Okapis are forest-dwelling relatives of giraffes native to the Congo Basin. Their shy, solitary nature and specialist diet create unique zoo welfare challenges, while wild populations face severe threats from deforestation and armed conflict.
Okapis in zoo settings require forest-like environments with dense vegetation providing visual privacy, shade, and browse opportunities. Their shy temperament means that high-visitor-density exhibits cause chronic stress without adequate retreat zones. Dietary provision of diverse browse species — oak, hazel, and fruit — supports natural foraging motivation. As solitary animals, they should generally be housed individually except for managed breeding introductions. The small global zoo population makes genetic management through the SSP critical, and inter-facility transfers must balance breeding needs with the welfare costs of animal movement and acclimatisation to new environments. Wild conservation in the DRC requires stabilisation of the security situation alongside habitat protection.