Okapi (Okapia johnstoni)Hooved Mammals, MammalsHidden in the shadows of Africa’s dense Ituri Forest lives a shy relative of the giraffe called the okapi. Like the giraffe, the okapi uses its long, prehensile tongue to pluck leaves and buds from trees. More info The foot-long tongue also allows the okapi to lick and clean its own eyelids and ears. An okapi also walks like a giraffe, swinging forward both legs on the same side of the body together. Okapis are solitary, only coming together to mate. The zebra-like stripes on the back of the okapi’s legs are thought to serve as a “follow me” signal for calves. Okapis defend their young from predators, such as the leopard, by kicking with their feet. The okapi was only officially discovered in 1900. Learn more about what the Cincinnati Zoo is doing to support okapi conservation. Risk Status Species at Risk (IUCN—Endangered)