Okapi is a very unusual animal, which not everyone knows about nowadays. The discovery of this species in the animal kingdom made a splash in the twentieth century. The first information about okapi was presented by the famous traveler G. Stanley. In 1890, Stanley wrote and published an account of the animals he encountered while traveling in the Congo. Confirmation of the facts described in the report was found only 10 years later, when another traveler, Johnson, presented a similar description. Next, the information was confirmed by zoologists, who published a description of a new animal for the public. The original name of the species did not correspond to the existing one, at first the individuals were given the name "Johnson's horse".

If we consider the okapi in more detail, it will be possible to distinguish that these animals belong to artiodactyls. In external parameters, they very much resemble zebras, however, their closest relatives are giraffes. In this regard, there are some similarities in the structure of the okapi body. They, like giraffes, have enough long legs and stretched neck. However, it is worth noting that the okapi's neck is still not as long as that of a giraffe. A similar feature is also the long blue tongue characteristic of giraffes. Interestingly, the length of the tongue can reach 35 centimeters. Males are quite easy to distinguish from females, because they have horns on their heads. The color of the okapi is quite dark, the color changes from brown to reddish hues. On the legs of this species of animal, you can see horizontal stripes, very similar to the color of a zebra. The legs of the okapi are usually white, and the stripes on them are black or brown.

In size, okapi is a rather large animal. The length of his body can reach two and a half meters, if you do not take into account the length of the tail. In growth, animals usually reach one and a half meters. The length of the okapi tail is on average 50 centimeters. The mass of the animal is also impressive, it can reach 350 kilograms.

What do okapis eat?

It is important to note that the okapi habitat always falls within a specific territory that has its own boundaries. Moreover, these boundaries are always guarded by one of the animals. The life activity of this species is arranged in such a way that males are mainly responsible for the offspring. It is for this reason that they live separately from the females along with the cubs. The okapi is most active during the daytime.

As for nutrition, it is very similar in diet to the diet of giraffes. The menu is based on tree leaves, mushrooms and fruits. Although okapi are very picky about their diet and always choose their foods carefully, sometimes they can eat poisonous berries, plants, or even parts of burnt trees, for example, left after a lightning strike. In addition to the listed menu items, these animals also periodically consume reddish clay, which is found near various reservoirs. This product is a source of missing minerals and components for them.

reproduction

The mating season for okapi, like most animals, begins in the spring. As a rule, the first thing you may encounter is the struggle of males for females. Representatives of the strong half collide with each other's necks. After the male wins back his female, the mating period begins. It does not last long, and this time is that rare moment when you can catch representatives of different sexes of okapi together. Sometimes it happens to see, together with a couple, a small one-year-old cub, to which the male is still positively disposed.

The gestation period for females of this species takes quite a long time. As a rule, the female carries the cub for 15 months. Most often, the female gives birth between August and October. In the Congo, the rainy season traditionally begins at this time. The female selects a place for childbirth quite carefully, choosing the most remote areas where it will be possible to hide for several days. The cub, which is just being born, at first lies among the vegetation, hiding so that it is not seen. You can recognize the presence of a baby only by soft sounds that resemble a cough. Also, sometimes okapi cubs emit something like a weak whistle or lowing. Even the mother herself has to look for her baby, focusing solely on the voice. Okapi cubs are born quite large, and even at the time of birth they can reach 30 kilograms of weight.

Males feed their young on their own for six months after birth. To date, the process of becoming an okapi has not been reliably described, so it is impossible to say exactly at what point the cub becomes an independent individual. Upon reaching the age of 12 months, horns begin to appear in males little by little. By the age of two, individuals reach sexual maturity. At three years old, okapi can already be considered an adult. How long can okapi live in vivo, has not been reliably established to date.

Where can you meet?

IN natural conditions You can meet okapi far from everywhere. These animals live mainly in the tropics in the northeastern part of the Congo. Most often, these individuals can be found in the reserves of Maiko, Salonga and Virunga.

Places for placing okapi choose territories at an altitude of 500 to 1000 meters above sea level. Areas that are well overgrown with shrubs are best suited for their life, since in such areas it is easiest for them to hide. It is extremely rare to find okapi in open spaces. As a rule, these are flat areas near water.

Interestingly, males and females have separate territories in which they feed. However, these locations may overlap in some cases. In addition, males can easily let females into their possessions if necessary.

Today, okapis are already classified as rare animals and are listed in the Red Book, however, despite this, their exact number in the Congo has not been reliably established. However, there is a decrease in the number of individuals. This is primarily due to the destruction of forests.

After the discovery of the okapi as a new species of animal, it was only in 1919 that they were able to settle it in the zoo and provide all the conditions necessary for life. At the same time, the animal lived in captivity for only 50 days. The first place the okapi visited was the Antwerp Zoo. In the future, it was in the same zoo that the female okapi lived for a long time. Her life activity in captivity was carried out from 1928 to 1943. Perhaps the animal would have lived even longer, but, unfortunately, died with the outbreak of World War II due to lack of food. The process of breeding okapi in captivity was also quite difficult for people. After the first attempts, the cubs simply died. The first baby that people managed to go out and raise was born only in 1956 in Paris.

The reason for the difficulty of keeping okapi in captivity is, first of all, their pickiness to living conditions. For example, sudden changes in temperature, as well as fluctuations in air humidity, are detrimental to them. Moreover, okapis are very sensitive to the composition of food.

Despite the existing problems, it is worth noting that today considerable success has already been achieved in arranging the conditions for keeping okapi. At the moment, young individuals adapt much faster to life in an aviary. At first, specialists offer animals only food that is familiar to them, and also try not to disturb them at all if possible. The fact is that it is very important to ensure the calmness of the cubs. In a strong stressful situation the heart of the animal may simply not withstand the load, as a result of which the okapi will die. Only after the animal gets used to contact with people, it is transported to the zoo. It is important that males and females are kept separately from each other. In addition, zoo specialists are instructed to control even the degree of illumination of enclosures. As a rule, only one bright area stands out, the rest of the territory is left dark.

Video: okapi (Okapia johnstoni)

Okapi - separate view belonging to the order artiodactyls, living in tropical zone Africa, namely in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Okapi is a hidden animal, which is why there is not much official information about him. By appearance The okapi is a bit similar to the zebra, but the animals are not related. Okapi is a relative, which is why this species belongs to the giraffe family.

There is no data on the exact population size, it is believed that in wild nature lives 10-20 thousand individuals. In addition, okapi live in 42 world zoos.

Appearance of the okapi

In shape, the body of the okapi resembles the body of a giraffe - these animals also have long legs, but the neck is much shorter. common feature is a long tongue, its length is 35 centimeters, it easily reaches the eyes of the okapi. With the help of this tongue, the animal gets buds and leaves from trees. In addition, the language plays important role in hygiene, the okapi cleans his ears and washes his eyes. It is worth noting that these are very neat and clean animals. The tongue of the okapi, like that of the giraffe, is bluish-gray in color.


Okapi is a herbivore.

The coat is velvety dark brown with a reddish sheen. The legs are decorated with light horizontal stripes, thanks to them the okapi are similar from far away. On the muzzle there are light and dark shades.

Males have horns and are covered with skin. The females do not have horns. The ears are large, and the animal has perfect hearing, so it is difficult for a predator to catch it.

The length of the body from head to tail varies between 1.9-2.3 meters. The length of the tail itself is 35-42 centimeters. In height, okapi grow to 1.5-1.8 meters.

Representatives of this species weigh from 200 to 350 kilograms, while males and females have the same size.


Okapi Behavior and Nutrition

Okapis prefer a solitary life. Males and females mark the boundaries of their territory and carefully guard their allotments. Males live alone, and females live with cubs. Animals are active during the day, and at night they hide in the thickets.

Okapi live at an altitude of 500-1000 meters, and in eastern zone rise even higher - into the mountain rainforests. The fur of the okapi is able to repel water, thanks to which the animal does not get wet during the rainy season, the water simply rolls onto the ground.

Okapi feed on grass, leaves, fruits, ferns and mushrooms. Animals can also eat poisonous plants. In addition, okapi eat charred trees that have been burned down by lightning. Representatives of the species eat brackish red clay near rivers and streams, which contains mineral salts.


Reproduction and lifespan

Because okapis are very wary and secretive, little is known about how females conceive. The gestation period is 15 months. The female gives birth to a baby in a deaf more often, this happens during the rainy season. In the vegetation, the baby hides for a couple of weeks until it grows up.

Then he begins to follow his mother everywhere. The female takes great care of the newborn, protecting him from any danger. When the offspring begins to lead an independent life is unclear. In captivity, these animals live for about 30 years, how many okapi live in the wild is unknown.

Okapi is an incredible animal. Resembling a zebra, a deer and a bit of an anteater, it resembles an incorrectly assembled puzzle. When you first meet the beast, the question arises: how did such a horse appear? And is it a horse? Scientists say no. Okapi - distant relative. Inhabitants equatorial Africa have known the miracle beast for thousands of years, but Europeans only became aware of it at the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries.

Origin of the species and description

The history of the development of okapi as a species is still being studied, there is almost no information about the origin of the genus. At the very beginning of the 20th century, scientists in London received the remains of an animal. The first analysis showed that there was no relationship with the horse. The second is that the closest common ancestor of the okapi and giraffe has long since died out. No new data has been received that could refute or change the information received by the British.

Video: Okapi

IN late XIX centuries, the natives of the Congo told about wild animals similar to horses to the traveler G. Stanley. Based on his reports, the governor of the English colony of Uganda, Johnston, launched an active investigation. It was he who handed over the okapi skins to scientists for study. Within six months, the animal new to Europe was officially called "Johnston's horse." But the analysis of the remains showed that the okapi has nothing to do with the horse or any other known species. The original name "okapi" became official.

Scientists attribute the animal to the class of mammals, the order of artiodactyls, the suborder of ruminants. Based on the proven similarity of the skeleton with the extinct ancestors of giraffes, the okapi is assigned to the giraffidae family. But his genus and appearance are personal, Johnston's former horse is the only representative of the okapi species.

The pedigree of the animal includes two representatives of the giraffe family, which does not facilitate its study. Throughout the 20th century, zoos around the world encouraged the capture of animals in order to get a curiosity in their collections. Okapi - unusually shy and unadapted to stress animals, cubs and adults died in captivity. In the late 20s, the largest zoo in Belgium managed to create conditions in which the female Tele lived for 15 years, only to die of starvation at the height of the Second World War.

Appearance and features

The appearance of the African miracle beast is unique. It has a brown color, with overflows from dark chocolate to red. The legs are white with black stripes in the upper part, the head is white-gray with a large brown spot on the upper part, the circumference of the mouth and the large elongated nose are black. The brown tail with a brush has a length of about 40 cm. There is no smooth transition from color to color, islands of wool of the same shade are clearly limited.

Males have small horns, which suggests a relationship with a giraffe. Each year, the horn tips fall off and new ones grow. The growth of animals is about one and a half meters, while the neck is shorter than that of a relative, but noticeably elongated. Females are traditionally a couple of tens of centimeters taller and do not have horns. The average weight of an adult is 250 kg, a newly born cub is 30 kg. In length, the beast reaches 2 meters or more.

Interesting fact! Gray-blue, like a giraffe, the okapi tongue reaches a length of 35 cm. A clean animal easily washes away dirt from their eyes and ears.

The okapi has no predator resistance tools. The only way survive - escape. Evolution has endowed him with sensitive hearing, allowing him to learn about the approach of danger in advance. The ears are large, elongated, surprisingly mobile. Keeping the ears clean, regularly cleaning them with the tongue, the beast is forced to maintain fine hearing. Cleanliness is another defense mechanism against a predator.

Representatives of the species do not have vocal cords. Exhaling sharply, they make a sound like a cough or whistle. Newborn babies use mooing more often. In addition, the okapi lacks gallbladder. An alternative is special pouches behind the cheeks, where the animal can store food for a while.

Where does the okapi live?

The habitat is clearly limited. In the wild, former Johnston horses can only be found in the northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In the last century, okapi possessions extended to the border area of ​​the neighboring state - Uganda. Total deforestation is gradually driving animals out of their usual territories. And shy okapi are not capable of looking for a new home.

Animals choose a place to live carefully. It must be a fertile area about a kilometer above sea level. Animals do not check the last indicator, trusting their instincts. The plain is dangerous for them; it is extremely rare to see a forest horse in an empty clearing. Okapis settle in areas overgrown with tall bushes, where it is easy to hide and hear a predator making its way through the branches.

The rainforests of central Africa have become a suitable place for the okapi to live. Fastidious animals choose a house not only by the number of bushes, but also by the height of the leaves growing on them. It is also important that the thickets have a vast territory - the herd does not settle in a heap, each individual has a separate corner. In captivity, the conditions for the survival of the okapi are created artificially.

It is important to ensure:

  • Dark enclosure with a small lighted area;
  • The absence of other animals nearby;
  • Feeding from the leaves that the individual ate in the wild;
  • For a mother with a baby - dark corner ok, imitating a dense forest, and complete peace;
  • Minimal contact with a person until the individual is completely accustomed to new conditions;
  • Habitual weather- a sudden change in temperature can kill the animal.

There are fewer than 50 zoos in the world where okapis live. Their breeding is a complex and delicate process. But the result was an increase in the life expectancy of the animal up to 30 years. It is difficult to say how long a forest horse exists in freedom, scientists agree on an interval of 20 to 25 years.

What does okapi eat?

The diet of the okapi, like the giraffe, consists of leaves, buds, and fruits. Too tall giraffe, not liking to bend down to the ground, chooses tall trees or upper branches of ordinary ones. Okapi, having the height of an average European, prefers to feed at a height of up to 3 meters above the ground. He grabs a branch of a tree or shrub long tongue and pulls the leaves into her mouth. Leaning down to the very ground, he takes out tender young grass.

Interesting fact! The okapi menu contains poisonous plants and toxic mushrooms. To neutralize the effects of harmful substances, they eat charcoal. Trees burned down after a lightning strike are quickly becoming a subject of interest for forest gourmets.

There are 30 to 100 species in the okapi diet. tropical plants, including ferns, fruits, and even mushrooms. Minerals they are obtained from coastal clay, which is eaten with great care - open areas and proximity to water are a great danger. Animals feed during the day. Night outings are extremely rare and only when absolutely necessary.

Animals eat, as well as sleep, very carefully. Their ears catch the rustle, and their legs are ready to run at any moment of the meal. Therefore, people managed to study the eating habits of okapi only in zoos. For the first six months of life, babies eat milk, after which they can continue feeding from their mother or stop it completely.

Interesting fact! Digestive system small okapi assimilates mother's milk without residue. The cubs do not leave waste products, which allows them to be invisible to predators.

Keeping animals in the zoo requires care. After capture, adults are very frightened, and their nervous system not adapted to stress. Animal life can be saved only by simulating the conditions of life in the wild. This also applies to nutrition. A carefully crafted menu of leaves, buds, fruits and mushrooms helps people to tame the okapi. Only after the individual gets used to people, it is transferred to the zoo.

Features of character and lifestyle

Okapi are incredibly shy. People obtain information about their daily behavior only in captivity. It is impossible to observe the population in the expanses of central Africa - constant wars make any scientific expedition life-threatening for researchers. Conflicts also affect the number of animals: poachers enter reserves and build traps for valuable animals.

And in captivity, animals behave differently. Building a clear hierarchy, males fight for supremacy. Butting other individuals with horns and hooves, the strongest male indicates his power by stretching his neck up. The rest often make respectful bows to the ground. But this form of interaction is unusual for okapi, they are better off in single enclosures. The exception is mothers with babies.

The following is known about the behavior of okapi in natural conditions:

  • Each individual occupies a certain territory, grazes on it independently;
  • Females adhere to clear boundaries, not allowing strangers into their possessions;
  • Males are irresponsible about borders, often grazing close to each other;
  • An individual marks its possessions with the help of fragrant glands on its legs and hooves, as well as urine;
  • The female can freely cross the male's territory. If a cub is with her, he is not in danger from a senior representative;
  • The attachment of the mother to the cub is very strong, she protects the baby for at least six months after birth;
  • During the mating period, pairs are formed that easily break up as soon as the female feels the need to protect the baby;
  • Occasionally they form groups of several individuals, perhaps to go to a watering place. But there is no confirmation of this hypothesis;

Social structure and reproduction

Okapis don't need leaders. To repel the attacks of enemies, to defend the territory from competitors, to raise offspring together - this is not in the nature of forest horses. Choose a piece of forest for yourself, mark it and graze until it's time to run - this is how cautious animals behave. Solely owning a small area, sensitive okapis provide themselves with silence around, reducing the chances of enemies for a successful hunt.

The mating period falls on May-July, when the female and male briefly unite, forming a pair. The next 15 months, the female carries the fetus. Babies are born during the rainy season from late summer to mid-autumn. The smallest newborns weigh 14 kg, large - up to 30. Dad is not present at the birth, interest in new family he does not experience. However, the female, accustomed to freedom, experiences the coldness of her partner without emotions.

IN last days pregnancy future mom goes into the thicket of the forest to find a deaf, dark clearing. There she leaves the baby, and the next few days she comes to him to feed. The newborn burrows into fallen leaves and freezes, only the owner of the sensitive hearing of the okapi can find him. The baby makes sounds similar to mooing to make it easier for mom to find him.

The cohesion of this couple will be envied by lovebirds. In the first year of life, a small okapi literally sticks to mommy and follows her everywhere. How long does this family idyll, is unknown to man. Female cubs become sexually mature after one and a half years, young males come to this at 28 months of age. However, maturation continues until 3 years.

Natural enemies of the okapi

The okapi has no friends. They are afraid of everything that makes sounds and smells, or simply casts a shadow. In the ranking of the most dangerous enemies, it occupies the first place. big cat from sneaks up to the victim silently, and in pursuit develops considerable speed. The sensitive sense of smell of the okapi allows you to notice the leopard lurking in ambush, but sometimes this happens too late.

Hyenas are also dangerous for okapi. These nocturnal hunters hunt alone or in packs led by a leading female. Massive okapi surpass hyenas in volume and weight, but smart predators strike the victim with one powerful bite to the neck. Despite light sleep, forest horses are present in the diet of hyenas, whose dinner begins after midnight. Features of the stomach of a predator allow you to eat large game without a trace, even horns and hooves are used.

Okapi are sometimes attacked. For this cat, herbivorous artiodactyls - favorite dish. In DR Congo climatic conditions make predators feel comfortable. Lions are inferior to leopards in the ability to move silently, and this allows okapi to fall into their paws less often. In pursuit of thickets, predators have almost no chance of overtaking frisky prey, and cautious okapi rarely go out into open areas.

Humans cause the greatest damage to the okapi population. The value for poachers is the meat and velvety skin of the animal. Africans are unable to defeat the victim in open combat, so they build traps in the habitats of herbivores. Hunting for okapi continues despite attempts by the world community to ban it.

At the beginning of the 20th century, zoos caused great damage to the population, thoughtlessly trying to get okapi into their possessions, not knowing how to keep them alive in captivity. Attempts to get offspring within zoos ended in failure until the 60s. People in an effort to earn money are often merciless.

Population and species status

The population of the species is rapidly declining. Due to the secrecy of animals, it was difficult to count their number at the time of the discovery of the species. However, even then it was known that the pygmies exterminated them in huge quantities. The okapi skin has an unusually beautiful color, velvety to the touch, so there has always been a demand for it. Animal meat also did not leave indifferent lovers of delicious food.

In 2013, the number of animals living in the wild was estimated at 30-50 thousand individuals. By the beginning of 2019, there were 10,000 of them left. The number of okapi living in zoos does not exceed fifty. As of September 2018, the species is not included in the Red Book, but this is only a matter of time. Conservation measures almost do not yield results due to the difficult political situation in the DR Congo - the only habitat of the okapi in the wild.

Nature reserves are located on the territory of the state. The purpose of their creation is to preserve the okapi population. However, armed groups of residents of the DR Congo regularly violate the boundaries of the reservation and continue to set traps for animals. Often the purpose of such atrocities is food. People feed on endangered animals, and it is difficult to stop them. In addition to okapi hunters, the reserves attract gold and ivory hunters.

Another reason for the decline in the population is the deterioration of living conditions. Rapid deforestation has already led to the disappearance of the okapi from the forests of Uganda. Now the situation is repeating itself in the northeastern forests of DR Congo. Unable to survive outside the forest, the okapi are doomed unless the government of the war-torn country takes emergency action. World science community is trying to put pressure on the President of the DR Congo Felix Tshisekedi.

Within the boundaries of the existence of the okapi, local residents built points for the legal capture of animals. Under the supervision of scientists in zoos, animals live longer than in the wild. The extermination of representatives of the giraffe family can be prevented by providing them with a safe habitat. Central Africa does not have such conditions, and it is not necessary to wait for an early resolution of military conflicts within the country.

The okapi is an amazing animal. An unusual color, a velvety-brown skin with tints, a surprisingly fine hearing and sense of smell - all this makes the forest horse unique. Picky about habitat, food, even each other, they face a lot of problems in ordinary life. But it is difficult to find more independent and independent representatives of the fauna. Therefore, it is important to prevent the extermination of the species. Okapi- a useful animal for the ecosystem.

The discovery of the okapi in the 20th century caused a sensation. For the first time, the traveler Stanley G. spoke about these animals. In 1890, he published a report on animals that lived in the forests of the Congo. This information was confirmed 9 years later, when Johnston found confirmation of this information. After that, in 1900, zoologists published a description of a new species of animal, which at first was called "Johnson's horse."

Okapis belong to the species of artiodactyls. Outwardly, these animals are a bit like zebras, but family ties they have closer to giraffes. The legs are long and the neck is elongated, but shorter than that of a giraffe. But the blue tongue, which can reach 35 centimeters, is the same as that of giraffes. Males have horns. The dark coat has a brownish-reddish tint. There are horizontal stripes on the legs. At the same time, the hair on the legs of the animal is light, and the stripes are brown and black. It is these stripes that make the okapi look like a zebra.

In general, the length of the body of the animal is approximately two to two and a half meters, excluding the tail, the growth of the animal reaches one and a half meters. The length of the tail can reach half a meter. With such dimensions, the weight of individuals can reach 350 kilograms.

Lifestyle: nutrition and reproduction

Okapi animals have a well-defined territory. The boundaries of the marked territory are guarded by animals. As a rule, males live separately from females with cubs. The main activity of animals falls on the daytime.

They eat, like giraffes, representatives of this genus:

  • tree leaves,
  • fruits.
  • mushrooms.

In the choice of food, okapis are quite picky, but despite this animal can eat poisonous plants and charred trees burnt out by lightning strikes. And in order to compensate for the lack of minerals in the body, the animal feeds on reddish clay near water bodies.

In the spring, you can watch how males arrange battles for females, colliding with their necks. The mating season is that rare period of time when you can see female and male okapi together. It happens that a couple is accompanied by a one-year-old cub, to which the male is not yet hostile.

Pregnancy of female okapi lasts more than a year - about 15 months. Childbirth occurs during the rainy season, in the Congo this period begins in August and lasts until October. Childbirth happens in the most remote places. The baby who was born lies for the first few days, hiding among the vegetation. Little okapi can whistle and whistle loudly, and also, like adults, make sounds similar to coughing. The mother finds the cub in the thicket by the voice. At the time of birth, the weight of the cub can reach 30 kilograms.

Feeding babies lasts about six months. Until now, it is not known exactly when the cub becomes independent. After a year, horns begin to erupt in males. From the age of two, animals become sexually mature, and by the age of three, okapi become adults. The life span of animals in natural conditions has not been reliably established.

Habitat

In nature, okapis are found only in tropical forests in the northeast of the Congo. For example, animals can be found:

  • in the Salonga nature reserve;
  • in the Virunga reserve;
  • in the Maiko nature reserve.

Okapi live at an altitude of five hundred to a thousand meters. They choose places where there are a lot of bushes and thickets, as in case of danger they hide among them. Rarely, but also found on open plains, closer to the water.

Males and females have their own feeding areas. These areas may overlap. Also, males calmly let females pass through their possessions.

On this moment there is no exact data on the number of okapis living in the Congo. Deforestation negatively affects the number of animals. At the moment okapis are listed in the Red Book as rare animals.

Life in captivity

For a long time in zoos they could not create conditions for the life of okapi. The first time an okapi lived in captivity at the Antwerp Zoo for 50 days happened only in 1919. But already from 1928 to 1943, a female okapi lived in this zoo. She died of starvation during World War II. They also did not immediately learn how to breed okapi in captivity. The first offspring born in captivity died. Only in 1956 in Paris were able to leave the cub.

Okapi is a very picky animal. For example, members of this genus do not tolerate sudden changes in temperature and air humidity. They are also very sensitive to the composition of food.

True, in Lately Some progress has been made in keeping and breeding okapi in captivity. It is noted that young individuals adapt to the conditions of the enclosure faster. At first, they try not to disturb the animal. The composition of the feed is only the usual food. If the animal feels danger, it may die from stress, as the heart cannot withstand a heavy load.

When the animal calms down and gets used to people a little, it is transported to the zoo. At the same time, males and females in the enclosure must be kept separately, as well as monitor the lighting. There should not be more than one brightly lit area in the aviary. If the female gives birth in captivity, then it is imperative to isolate her and the cub. For them must create a dark corner, which would imitate the forest thicket.

Once used to, okapis become friendly to people. They can even take food directly from their hands.