Okapis require highly specialized enrichment programs that replicate their solitary forest-browsing lifestyle and accommodate their extreme stress sensitivity.
Okapi enrichment programs must balance their need for novelty and dietary variety with their sensitivity to sudden changes and stressors. Gradual introduction of new browse species, quiet keeper interactions, and predictable routine management reduce stress responses. Their largely solitary nature means social enrichment is less relevant than complex environmental enrichment through browse variety, scent exploration, and spatial variation. Positive keeper relationships built through patient conditioning allow necessary veterinary procedures without chemical restraint, reducing stress-related welfare harms.