Analogy — Animal and native region: Cougar : South America :: Okapi : ? Select the region that stands to “Okapi” in the same native-habitat way that “South America” stands to “Cougar”.

Introduction / Context:
Animal–region analogies hinge on typical native distribution. While cougars (pumas) have a wide range in the Americas with strong association to South America, the okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is endemic to the central African rainforests, especially the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Cougar ↔ South America (accepted exam shorthand for native distribution).
• Okapi ↔ Central Africa (Congo Basin).
• Options include regions and countries; we choose the best categorical match.

Concept / Approach:
Maintain “Animal : native region” parallelism. Among the options, “Central Africa” captures the okapi’s natural habitat most accurately and at the correct granularity.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Verification / Alternative check:
Field guides list okapi as endemic to the Congo tropical forests; “Central Africa” is the appropriate umbrella term in MCQ settings.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:

• India/Pakistan/North America: Not part of the okapi’s native range.
• None of these: Invalid since “Central Africa” is correct.

Common Pitfalls:
Confusing okapi with African antelopes more broadly distributed; okapi’s range is restricted to the Congo region.

Final Answer:
Central Africa