Okapis are the only living relatives of giraffes and forest-dwelling browsers with specialized dietary and social needs. Their welfare in zoos requires species-specific management approaches.
Okapi welfare in zoos is centered on meeting their highly specific dietary needs and social preferences. As solitary animals, they can be stressed by proximity to conspecifics outside mating periods and require enclosures with sight barriers. Browse-based diets are essential — hay and commercial diets are insufficient substitutes for their natural forest leaf diet. Providing diverse, fresh browse is a logistical challenge for zoos in temperate climates. Okapis are sensitive to environmental change and may show stress responses to unfamiliar keepers, routine changes, or loud noises. Detailed behavioral monitoring tracks welfare status over time.