Weight, 450-500 pounds. Female sexual maturity is reached at 19 months. Males are later. Mating season is usually from May to June or November to December but can occur anytime. Females give birth to a single calf after a gestation period of 14 to 16 months.
Most births occur during the peak of the rainy season.
The female is very protective of her newborn, hiding it in the brush and returning at intervals to feed the calf. Because its range is so limited, its future remains insecure. The elusive nature of the okapi makes it difficult to estimate how many remain in the wild. The okapi has stripes on its hindquarters and legs that help it blend in with its typical jungle environment, especially the serrated patterns of tree growth and ferns. The stripes also act as counter-shading, which breaks up the okapi's outline at distances.