It has the stripes of a zebra on its legs, the long tongue of a giraffe and the shy heart of the forest. The okapi is one of the most mysterious animals on Earth, and it lives in only one country: the Democratic Republic of Congo.
A real animal, found only in the Congo
The okapi is the only living relative of the giraffe. It lives deep in the rainforests of the northeast of the DR Congo. Scientists outside Africa only described it in 1901, although the people of the forest had always known it. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, in the Ituri forest, has been a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1996, and the okapi is today an endangered species.
A symbol of the Congo
Because it lives nowhere else, the okapi has become a proud symbol of the Congo and of its forests. Protecting it means protecting the forest, its people and its future.
Princess Opa, the Princess of Tomorrow
In the ISOLELE children’s comic book The Guardians of Kongo, Princess Opa is the okapi Princess of Tomorrow, guardian of the Sacred Bottle of Time. Children meet her alongside Okapi, Likaku, Amarulaa and Ota Benga.
Why animals matter in African children’s books
Children learn to love what they can see. When a little reader in Kinshasa or Los Angeles meets an okapi hero, she learns that the Congo’s forests are a treasure. Read our guide to African children’s books and comics.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do okapis live?
Only in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo, mostly in the northeast of the country.
Is the okapi a giraffe?
The okapi is the only living relative of the giraffe, even though the stripes on its legs make it look like a zebra.
Is there a children’s book with an okapi hero?
Yes. The Guardians of Kongo, an ISOLELE children’s comic book, features Princess Opa, the okapi Princess of Tomorrow.
See the characters
