With a tongue that can extend up to 18 inches (45 cm), the okapi uses this remarkable adaptation to skillfully strip leaves, buds, and fruit from the understory trees of the Congo Basin. Their diet, rich in over 100 plant species, helps shape the forest’s biodiversity—an unsung but vital ecological role. Often mistaken as relatives of zebras due to their stripes, okapis are actually the only living relative of the giraffe. Yet unlike their towering cousins, these secretive animals are found sole

Recently captured by our camera traps deep in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, this footage shows an okapi moving freely through its undisturbed rainforest home—a testament to the power of conservation. Protecting these forests means protecting the okapi and countless other species that depend on them. | Okapi Conservation Project

Reflections on 35 Years of Okapi Conservation Project Staff working to Conserve Okapi in DR Congo