World Okapi Day
October 18
About World Okapi Day
World Okapi Day is observed on 18 October each year, drawing global attention to the okapi, one of the world’s most unusual and least-known large mammals. Recognised by the IUCN Species Survival Commission since 2016, the day raises awareness of the okapi’s endangered status and the critical conservation work taking place in its only habitat: the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.
What is World Okapi Day?
World Okapi Day is an annual international conservation awareness day dedicated to the okapi, a large, forest-dwelling mammal found exclusively in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The okapi is remarkable for many reasons: it looks like a cross between a zebra, a horse, and a giraffe, yet it is related solely to the giraffe, making it the giraffe’s only living relative. Despite its striking appearance, the okapi is little known outside of wildlife conservation circles, which is precisely why a dedicated awareness day was established.
World Okapi Day is recognised by the Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group (GOSG) of the IUCN Species Survival Commission, and is supported by zoos, wildlife organisations, conservation charities, and governments around the world.
When is World Okapi Day?
World Okapi Day is observed on 18 October each year. It was first held in 2016 and has been observed annually since then.
Why It Matters
The okapi is currently classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List. Its population in the wild is unknown, but estimates suggest only a few thousand individuals may remain. The species faces a convergence of serious threats, including illegal hunting for bushmeat and skin, illegal artisanal gold and mineral mining within its range, deforestation, and armed conflict that hampers conservation efforts and displaces both communities and wildlife.
The okapi’s habitat, the Ituri Rainforest and surrounding areas in the DRC, is one of the most biodiverse ecosystems on Earth. Protecting the okapi means protecting this entire ecosystem and the many other species that depend on it. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, established in 1992 and inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a key protected area for the species, but it operates in one of the most challenging conservation environments in the world.
World Okapi Day helps channel global attention, fundraising, and advocacy towards one of Africa’s most secretive and at-risk mammals.
How to Get Involved
- Donate to okapi conservation: The Okapi Conservation Project, Wildlife Conservation Society, and other organisations fund direct conservation work in the DRC. Financial support is crucial.
- Visit an accredited zoo: Many zoos around the world participate in okapi breeding programmes under the Species Survival Plan (SSP). Visiting a zoo on World Okapi Day directly supports conservation funding.
- Spread awareness: Share information about the okapi on social media using the hashtags below. Many people have never heard of this extraordinary animal, and raising its profile is itself a conservation act.
- Learn and teach: Educate children and colleagues about the okapi’s biology, habitat, and conservation status. Awareness is the first step towards meaningful action.
- Support sustainable sourcing: Reducing demand for illegally mined minerals (including those from conflict zones in the DRC) helps protect the habitat of the okapi and other endangered species.
History of World Okapi Day
World Okapi Day was established in 2016 by the IUCN SSC Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group (GOSG), a network of scientists, conservationists, and wildlife managers dedicated to the conservation of giraffes and okapis. The date of 18 October was chosen to align with existing conservation calendars and maximise awareness during the autumn season in the northern hemisphere.
The okapi itself was not described by western science until 1901-1902, making it one of the last large mammals to be formally documented by scientists. Before then, European explorers had encountered references to a mysterious “forest donkey” in accounts from local communities, but the animal remained unknown to science. Sir Harry Johnston, a British colonial administrator and naturalist, played a key role in securing specimens that enabled the species to be formally described.
Noteworthy Facts
- The okapi is the only living relative of the giraffe and is sometimes called the “forest giraffe” or “zebra giraffe.”
- Unlike giraffes, which live on open savannahs, okapis are solitary forest dwellers found only in the Ituri Rainforest of the DRC.
- Okapis have tongues long enough to groom their own eyelids and ears, with an average tongue length of about 35 centimetres.
- The okapi was not known to western science until 1901-1902, making it one of the last large mammals to be formally documented.
- Okapis are classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List, with threats including illegal hunting, habitat loss, and armed conflict in the DRC.
- The Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the DRC is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and covers approximately 13,700 square kilometres of the Ituri Rainforest.
- Okapis are largely nocturnal and extremely shy, which has made them very difficult to study in the wild.
Hashtags
#WorldOkapiDay #OkapiDay #SaveTheOkapi #WildlifeConservation #EndangeredSpecies #DRC #ForestGiraffe
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