The sides of the buttocks and upper portions of the limbs are transversely barred with black and white stripes of varying width. The shanks are white to maroon, and the facial markings are light. The hair is short and sleek, and the tail has a terminal tuft. The body is short and compact, the neck and legs are long, the ears are relatively large, and the eyes are large and dark. The tongue is so long that it can be used to clean the eyes.
Males have small, hair-covered horns.
The preferred habitat of the okapi is dense, damp forest. It is diurnal and normally moves along well-trodden paths through the jungle. It is extremely wary and secretive, dashing through the forest at the least suspicion of danger. Hearing is the best-developed of its senses. It is a browser, feeding on the leaves, fruit, and seeds of many plants.