The Okapi can be found in the deep, dense Ituri Rainforest in the heart of the Republic of Congo in Africa. This area is thick with vegetation of all colors, including browns, russets, and blacks. The light is barely able to get through the trees, and creates a dappling on the underbrush.
There are only an estimated 10 to 20,00 Okapis remaining in the wild. They are an extremely shy creature, and are rarely seen except for in zoos. Okapis are herbivorous and their diet in the wild consists of foliage, such as leaves, soft twigs, and shoots, along with buds, grass, fungi, and fruits. Okapi are primarily diurnal and forage along fixed, well-trodden paths through the forest formed by other Okapis throughout time. They will travel up to a half-mile in a day in search of food. They are most active during the afternoon through the evening, and will eat 40 to 65 pounds of food each day. Although Okapis are primarily solitary, they can sometimes be found feeding in groups. Okapis have a velvet-like coat that is generally a dark chestnut-brown or purplish red color. This helps them blend in with the background of dense vegetation and rotting leaves where it lives. Their main predator is the leopard.
