Present and Future Okapi

The Okapi’s habitat, the Ituri rainforest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (Central Africa), is going to change a lot in 1,000 years. It will go from thick, wet forest to patches of forest, and dry and savannah-like in between. It doesn’t help that the rainforest is also shrinking because of locals using land for farming and from mining companies too. With the change in smaller patches of forest and dryer warmer temperatures Okapi will go from having a plain dark coat with some stripes (sometimes called follow-me stripes which help its babies see its mom) to a lighter brown coat to blend in with the savannah, and it will adapt more stripes. Like the zebra, this will help the Okapi in the savannah. They will grow stronger legs to outrun predators since they will have less protection and coverage from their shrinking forest habitat.