Observing Okapi

Mmm these leaves look highly obtainable and overwhelmingly desirable 

Yes observe me and my long tongue which is also handy to wash my eyelids and clean ears, inside and out, its very sticky

Oooh almost there

Got one

Mmm what should I do now, the other leaf source the oblong bowl is empty

Guess I'll just wait for the meals on wheels trolley with my Okapi name on it. 

The Okapi shown is a male, identifiable from its skin covered horns. Although the Okapi looks similar to a zebra its closest relative is the giraffe and indeed is sometimes called the "forest giraffe",  the other nickname is the 'African Unicorn'.  Its home is the tropical rain forests of Central Africa.  A solitary animal which needs acreage to roam (the male more than the female), this has become a problem due to shrinking habitat because of human development and also war and poaching. There are probably 10-20,000 in the wild and the Democratic Republic of Congo project the Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a UNESCO World Heritage Site dedicated to preserving and increasing number. It located in the Ituri Forest near the border with Sudan and Uganda. The European Endangered Species Programme for Okapi is led by Antwerp Zoo (where these photographs were taken) and up to now has bred 48 calves and counting this video was the 48th with another one due.

An entry to ABC Wednesday - a journey through the alphabet - jump over to see the other O there