Is an okapi related to a horse in any way at all?

While the okapi and the horse look quite different, they are actually related. They share a common ancestor that lived millions of years ago.

Here's why:

* Both belong to the order Perissodactyla: This order includes all odd-toed ungulates (hoofed animals) like horses, rhinoceroses, and tapirs.

* They are both perissodactyls: This means they have one or three toes on each foot (horses have one toe, okapis have three).

* They have similarities in their digestive systems: Both are herbivores with a complex digestive system.

However, the okapi and the horse are very distantly related. The last common ancestor they shared existed about 55 million years ago! Since then, they have evolved into very different species.

So, while they are technically related, the okapi is more closely related to the giraffe than it is to the horse.