It was given the scientific name Okapia johnstoni . Not until 1918 was an okapi seen in a European zoo. The Okapi stands five to six feet high at the shoulder and weighs 450-550 pounds. Its short, sleek hair is generally purplish, chesnut, or almost black with stripes on the legs and flanks and a creamy face. The lower legs are mostly white, as if the animal is wearing white socks.
Females are redder in color, while males bear two small hair-covered horns.
Like its larger cousin, the okapi has a very long tongue. Like many forest animals, okapis are solitary, shy, and elusive. They have a keen sense of hearing and smell. Okapis live in in the densest part of the forest, where they feed on plants, including fruits, shoots, and leaves. An okapi mother bears a single calf, which is kept hidden for two weeks.