From Richard Reynolds #7

Finally an okapi for circus. This is the male Aribi, acquired by RBBB as a headliner for its 1955 tour. He is shown here in the Dept of Agriculture's quarantine station in Clifton, New Jersey in the summer of 1955. Alas, he could not be shown with RBBB. Aribi was a wild born cloven hoofed ruminant capable of transmitting hoof and mouth disease or rinderpest to farm animals. Regulations only allowed permanent zoos(meeting rigid qualifications) to import and exhibit such animals. Traveling circuses could not qualify. However such animals could travel around with circuses if they were born in USA. So, the show made a deal with the Brookfield zoo to take Aribi on loan with the understanding that, should he sire a calf, the circus could have the youngster. And that happened. I should add that Aribi was obtained by RBBB agent McCormick Steele from the Epulu station during a trip to Africa in 1954 to obtain new features for the show. One could write a book about his adventures. Like Howard Bary back in 1947 Steele also wanted to try for Ubangi women and pygmies from the Ituri forest but colonial authorities rejected both proposals. This was the last time any American circus sent an agent abroad to bring back exotic people.