Yes, okapis are directly related to giraffes, despite the okapi’s striking, zebra-like leg markings. They are the only living members of the same ancient biological group. The okapi is frequently called the “forest giraffe” or “zebra giraffe” due to this close link. This evolutionary connection is evident in several subtle physical features they share, despite their vastly different appearances.
Shared Ancestry in the Giraffidae Family
The okapi and the giraffe are the sole surviving species in the family Giraffidae, a taxonomic classification that confirms their close kinship. This family was once more diverse, spreading across Eurasia and Africa during the Miocene epoch, but today it is represented only by these two distinct genera: Giraffa and Okapia. Genetic studies estimate that the common ancestor of both the modern giraffe and the okapi lived approximately 11.5 million years ago.
The okapi is considered to morphologically resemble more primitive or ancestral forms of giraffids, effectively serving as a “living fossil” of the group. The divergence that followed led the giraffe to adapt to the open savannahs and the okapi to the dense rainforests, resulting in their current, contrasting body forms.
Physical Differences and Similarities
The most immediate difference between the two animals is the length of their necks, which represents a major evolutionary adaptation to their respective environments. The giraffe is the world’s tallest mammal, with a neck that can reach nearly eight feet long, allowing it to browse on high acacia leaves. In contrast, the okapi, which stands about five feet tall at the shoulder, has a neck that is only slightly elongated compared to most other ruminants, suiting its life in the forest understory.
Both species share the characteristic of having only seven cervical vertebrae. They also possess bony, skin-covered structures on their heads called ossicones. Male okapis have a pair of short, fur-covered ossicones, while both male and female giraffes have them; the male giraffe’s are thicker and used in combat.
A shared trait is the long, dark, and prehensile tongue, which can be up to 18 inches long in both species. This specialized organ is used to strip leaves from branches during feeding, a hallmark of the Giraffidae family’s browsing adaptation. Furthermore, both the okapi and the giraffe move with a distinctive pacing gait, where both legs on the same side of the body move forward simultaneously, a walking style uncommon among other ungulates.
Distinctive Features of the Okapi
The okapi’s appearance is dominated by its cryptic coloration, featuring a velvety, dark chocolate to reddish-brown body coat contrasted by striking white and dark horizontal stripes on its upper legs and hindquarters. This unique pattern is not a sign of a relationship with the zebra; instead, it is a form of camouflage that helps the animal blend into the dappled sunlight and deep shadows of its forest habitat. This highly specialized coat allows the okapi to be elusive, earning it the nickname “ghost of the forest.”
The okapi is exclusively found in the dense, tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, primarily within the Ituri Forest. Living in this environment, the okapi has adapted to feed almost entirely on browse, eating the leaves, buds, grasses, and fungi of over 100 plant species. It uses its long, flexible tongue to select specific foliage, including plants that are known to be toxic to humans. Due to habitat loss from logging, human settlement, and illegal mining in its restricted range, the okapi is currently classified as an endangered species by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.