1.5 Euro Okapi

When the famous British explorer Stanley was exploring the banks of the Congo River, he was surprised that the native porters were not startled by the presence of the European horses on the expedition. This was because they knew of a similar but smaller animal, described at the time as resembling a horse or a donkey, but with the stripes of a zebra and the head of a giraffe. Its long dark blue prehensile tongue, capable of reaching into the eyes and ears for cleaning, only helped to add to the legend about this unique mammal, the only living relative of the giraffes of the African savannah.
Its habitat is currently confined to the forests of northern Congo Republic, although in past decades it also inhabited other countries. An extremely elusive and shy animal, it is hardly ever seen or studied, and many aspects are still unknown to zoologists. It is preferably a solitary herbivore, although it can live in pairs or with a young. It feeds on fruits, herbs, fungi, plants and tree leaves, many of which are poisonous to other animals.
Okapis show sexual dimorphism between males and females. Males, like giraffes, have horn-like structures that females do not have. In the past, this characteristic of males led them to be identified with the mythical unicorn. Apart from humans, only leopards pose a danger to okapis.
Human migration, hunting and mining prospecting threaten to destroy the habitat of this elusive mammal, the national symbol of the Republic of Congo.