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When you first see an okapi, you might think it's related to a horse or a zebra. Its body and neck are horse-like, and its legs have black-and-white stripes like a zebra does. But the okapi is not related to a horse or a zebra; its closest relative is actually the giraffe. In fact, okapis are sometimes called forest giraffes, since they live mainly in the rain forests of central Africa. An okapi's relationship to a giraffe is most noticeable in its face. Like giraffes, okapis have long, thin faces topped with large, upward-pointing ears. Male okapis also have little furry horns like giraffes' horns. Additionally, both giraffes and okapis have long, dark tongues, which can grab and strip leaves from trees. And just like giraffes, okapis are plant eaters, feeding on leaves, buds, twigs, and fruit. In many ways, though, okapis are quite different from their giraffe cousins. An okapi's neck is much shorter than a giraffe's. This is useful, because a long neck would make it difficult to move through thick vegetation. Another important difference is that giraffes are social and live in herds, while okapis are shy, solitary creatures. They tend to live alone, hiding in the dense forest. Perhaps that's why most people didn't even know okapis existed until around 1900. Even though okapis tend to keep to themselves, they do have ways to communicate with each other. For example, they mark their territories by leaving scent marks with their feet. And mother okapis can communicate with their babies "silently," using sounds that are too low in pitch for people—and predators—to hear. That's a good thing, too, as these animals are in danger of dying out. They need all the protection from predators that they can get.