THE OKAPI - Africa's Most Elusive Animal

 

A Short Narrative by Babayo U. Kabir

A Description of Africa’s Most Elusive Animal 

by Aku the Parrot.

“Have you ever heard of the animal called Okapi?”

“Yes, it does exist — deep in the heart of the Central African rainforests.”

“The locals call it Atti, and it is very rare to sight.”

“A human can live an entire lifetime without ever seeing it.”

“But it does exist, I assure you, little children.”

“It roams freely and solitary under the canopies of the dense foliage of the great Ituri Rainforest.”

“I have seen the okapi with my very eyes, children!”

The Okapi

The grey parrot continued his stories under the shade of the great baobab tree, as the children sat cross-legged on the ground, listening in awe to his tales of the wonderful creatures that roam the African rainforests.

“One day,” Aku began, “I became tired of the fruits of the Bambuka forest and wanted to explore more territories in the east. So I flew with my friends over and far beyond those mighty mountains you see over there,” he said, pointing his beak toward the distant silhouettes dominating the horizon.

The Okapi

“The journey took most of the day, and by the time we arrived, the sun was already sinking in the west. We came upon a forest of tall oak trees, their branches woven together to form canopies high on the mountainside.

We searched and found a sturdy branch to perch upon and rest our tired wings. It was twilight, and we couldn’t continue flying, so we decided to spend the night on that oak tree, though we were famished. The night was moonless and dark; even the nocturnal creatures crept cautiously under the dense shadows.

My friends and I sat silently and motionless; the place was strange to us. We waited quietly for dawn.”

“A few hours before midnight, we heard the sound of hooves rustling through the dry leaves below.”

“We looked around, curious to see what beast dared to venture out in the darkest hour of the night.”

“After some moments of searching, we finally saw a huge dark figure walking on four legs, gently plucking fresh leaves from the lower branches.”

“It was a creature we had never seen before. We craned our necks, straining to catch a better glimpse. Its dark color blended with the shadows, but when it came to feed on the tree where we perched, we saw it clearly.”

“It was a majestic and unique animal, with a long, elegant neck and large, flexible ears that twitched at the slightest sound. The moment it heard us, it paused, then quietly moved on to another tree.”

“It was then that we finally saw the Okapi.”

The Beauty of the Okapi

“The skin of this beauty is the masterpiece of nature’s design,” said Aku, his eyes glimmering. “It wears a deep reddish-brown coat of short, silky fur that gleams in the sun, except for its face, throat, and chest, which are greyish-white.

The beautiful Okapi stripes.

“But the most striking feature of the okapi is the sharp, contrasting white stripes on its legs — flowing down gracefully until they stop at the ankles. The slim ankles are pure white, ringed with faint black circles above the hooves.”

“These stripes resemble those of a zebra, yet the creature itself is closer in form to a giraffe — though smaller, with a shorter neck and gentler frame.”

“These beautiful markings help it vanish into the thick undergrowth — a perfect camouflage beneath the shadows of the rainforest.”

The Wonders of Nature

“Listen carefully, my children,” Aku said. “Another marvelous thing about the okapi is its tongue. It has the longest black tongue of any animal that walks the earth. It uses it to pluck buds and leaves from tall trees, feeding its endless herbivore appetite.

The tongue is so long that it can even groom its own nose, eyes, and ears!”

The long black tongue
.

“The okapi is a creature of mystery. It feeds mostly at night, using its strong vision to browse quietly through the forest.

Even its young ones are hidden from the world. After a long pregnancy of about a year and a half, the mother gives birth to a single calf — which she hides in secret places and nurses in silence. For the first two months, the young one does not even defecate, to avoid any scent that might betray its presence to predators.”

“The okapi’s stomach is strong enough to digest plants that are poisonous to both man and beast.”

The Grace of the Okapi

“It is a peaceful and gentle creature,” continued Aku, “walking gracefully with soft, steady strides — moving both legs on one side of its body at the same time, just like the giraffe.”

“The okapi is truly the most beautiful animal I have ever seen in the rainforest.”

The End

Aku stretched his grey wings, yawned, and looked fondly at the children, who sat wide-eyed beneath the baobab.

Aku telling stories to the children of Pira village.

“I hope that one day, each of you will be fortunate enough to see it too, my children,” he said softly. “Goodnight.”

And with that, Aku ended his story, fluffed his feathers, and flew up to his favorite branch as the sun began to set behind the village of Pira.

From the collection Ancient Fables, as told by Aku the Parrot to the children of Pira under the Great Baobab Tree.



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