Zoo Animal Welfare

Zoo Okapi: Breeding, Welfare and Conservation

Okapis are rare, shy forest ungulates held in relatively few zoos worldwide, with breeding success and welfare tightly linked to appropriate social management and habitat simulation.

Key Facts

Fewer than 30 institutions worldwide hold okapis
Okapis are shy, largely solitary animals in their natural forest habitat in the DRC
They require forest-like enclosures with visual screening and humid conditions
The wild population is threatened by habitat loss and hunting, and numbers fewer than 25,000
Zoo breeding programmes (EAZA/AZA) are coordinated to maintain genetic diversity

Welfare Considerations

Okapis in zoo settings must be managed with sensitivity to their solitary and shy nature. Forced social groupings can cause chronic stress, while appropriate separation with periodic managed introductions supports welfare. Welfare monitoring includes food intake, weight, activity levels and keeper-animal relationship quality.

What You Can Do

Visit zoos that participate in okapi conservation breeding programmes
Support Congo Basin forest conservation charities
Learn about okapi ecology and the threats facing the DRC's Ituri Forest
Donate to the Okapi Conservation Project