Why are okapis endangered and how can we protect them?

The okapi was a rare animal even before it became endangered. It is a relative of the giraffe, and it looks somewhat like it, though the okapi's neck is not as long. The okapi shares the giraffe's horns and long, prehensile tongue. However, the body of the okapi is reddish brown and the legs are marked with zebra-like stripes. read more

They are endangered, as are most other endangered species, due to habitat loss and hunting. There are captive breeding programs in many zoos which have been quite successful, but protecting the African forests where they live from logging is the most important thing, as well as educating the people who live there not to hunt them. read more

In fact, this week was the closest we’ve had to a world okapi day, after they became big news. The day before, Tuesday 26 th November, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) declared that okapi are now in the ‘endangered’ category. read more

They are endangered, as are most other endangered species, due to habitat loss and hunting. read more