Captive observations show distinct personalities. Some okapids are bold, others shy. Temperament affects feeding and movement. Personality influences stress response. This variation exists in the wild too. Individuality matters.
This challenges views of animals as uniform. Behavior varies widely.
It highlights the importance of individual-based care. Conservation isn’t one-size-fits-all.
Keepers can identify okapids by behavior alone.
Smithsonian National Zoo (si.edu)