10/18/2026
Happy World Okapi Day! 🤎 Say hello to Nafuna and Chimbuko, our resident okapis and members of the Okapi Species Survival Plan (SSP), which helps support the long-term survival of the species. While they share a habitat, these two have very different personalities!
Nafuna, our female, can be shy but is much more outgoing when food is involved. She loves training because, well, she loves to eat! Some of her favorite things include just about anything edible (browse, produce, and grain), food-based enrichment, and Chimbuko… depending on her mood.
Chimbuko, our male, is shy and a bit awkward. He’s the type of animal who will walk up to you and then act offended that you’re standing so close. 😂 He enjoys training, though he can get easily distracted. His favorite things include lettuce, Nafuna, and his cherry-flavored electrolyte water.
The okapi, often called the “ghost of the forest,” is one of the world’s most elusive and endangered species. Found only in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), this living fossil is threatened by poaching, illegal mining, and deforestation. With only an estimated 10,000 okapi left in the wild, their protection is vital. Here at Zoo Miami, we support global efforts like the Okapi Conservation Project, helping protect okapi and their rainforest home. You can find our okapis, Nafuna and Chimbuko, right across their relative, the giraffes, when you visit us!
