{"product_id":"discovering-the-okapi-simon-pooley-9781421452487","title":"Discovering the Okapi: Western Science, Indigenous Knowledge, and the Search for a Rainforest Enigma","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe captivating history of the okapi and its symbolic role in science, culture, and conservation.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn \u003ci\u003eDiscovering the Okapi\u003c\/i\u003e, Simon Pooley offers a fascinating portrait of the okapi--an elusive short-necked giraffid with zebra stripes, surviving in the rainforests of central Africa's Congo Basin. Combining history, science, and cultural analysis, this book unpacks the complicated layers of Western science and indigenous knowledge that shaped the world's understanding of this unique creature. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003ePooley tells the story of the okapi's \"discovery\" in 1900 by British naturalist Sir Harry Johnston--and the overlooked contributions of the indigenous African people whose expertise made this sighting and subsequent hunt for specimens possible. The book traces how colonial politics and scientific racism shaped early accounts of the animal's study and examines the enduring biases that continue to influence conservation efforts today. The okapi became a symbol of scientific curiosity, colonial power, and conservation challenges, revealing complex intersections among biodiversity, cultural heritage, and environmental stewardship. From its capture and exhibition in European zoos and its representation in Western museums and visual media to its role in African art and mythology, the okapi's story is as much about human history as it is about one extraordinary animal. \u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThe okapi's precarious existence in captivity and the wild exposes how Western and indigenous approaches to conservation can--and must--find common ground for its survival. Richly detailed and deeply personal, \u003ci\u003eDiscovering the Okapi\u003c\/i\u003e urges us to preserve biodiversity in a world of clashing worldviews and to view the okapi not just as an object of fascination, but as a powerful symbol of shared responsibility for our planet's future.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAuthor:\u003c\/b\u003e Simon Pooley\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-10:\u003c\/b\u003e 1421452480\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eISBN-13:\u003c\/b\u003e 9781421452487\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublisher:\u003c\/b\u003e Johns Hopkins University Press\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eLanguage:\u003c\/b\u003e English\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePublished:\u003c\/b\u003e 11\/11\/2025\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePages:\u003c\/b\u003e 376\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eFormat:\u003c\/b\u003e Paperback\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eSize:\u003c\/b\u003e 9.00h x 6.00w x 0.91d","brand":"Simon Pooley","offers":[{"title":"Paperback","offer_id":46838234284287,"sku":"9781421452487","price":39.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0662\/2982\/9887\/files\/img_cce493ca-2140-4ff7-b980-1eb4899b8e6d.jpg?v=1746589220","url":"https:\/\/www.whiterainbookhouse.com\/products\/discovering-the-okapi-simon-pooley-9781421452487","provider":"WR Book House","version":"1.0","type":"link"}