Behavior Okapis occur alone or in mother-offspring pairs. They have overlapping home ranges of several square kilometers and typically occur at densities of about 0.6 animals per square kilometer. The home ranges of males are generally slightly larger that those of females. Although they are not social animals, okapis tolerate eachother in the wild and may even feed in small groups for short periods of time. Knowledge of okapi social behavior comes primarily from observations of captive animals.
Males appear to mark with urine, and both males and females mark by rubbing their necks on trees.
Okapis seem to exhibit several aggressive behaviors including kicking and headthrowing. In captivity, dominant animals hold their necks straight and heads higher than subordinates, and the placing of the neck and head on the ground is a clear sign of submission. In addition, social grooming and play behavior seem to be common for both juveniles and adults. Habitat Okapis occur in the dense rainforests at middle elevations within their range. These initial attempts were accompanied by a high mortality rate due to the rigors of traveling thousands of miles by boat and by train.