okapi
- A large browsing mammal native to the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa, closely related to the giraffe but with a much shorter neck and distinctive zebra-like stripes on its legs. nounThe okapi is often referred to as the 'forest giraffe' due to its close relation to the giraffe.Despite its zebra-like stripes, the okapi is more closely related to the giraffe than to zebras.