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OkapiThe okapi is a fascinating animal that can only be found wild in the Ituri Rainforest in central Africa. The Ituri Rainforest is located in the Ituri region in Congo and comprises roughly 63,000 square kilometres. Today, around 20 percent of the Ituri Rainforest is within the Okapi Wildlife Reserve and have been declared a World Heritage Site. The Okapi is a distant relative of the giraffe, but have striped leg markings that resemble those displayed by the zebras. The Okapi was therefore believed by some to be a strange cross between giraffe and zebra, but it is not. The okapi has naturally always been known by the native inhabitants of the Ituri Rainforest, but it wasn’t described by scientists until 1901. |
Since the Okapi was a legendary and undocumented mammal for so long, it was choose as the official emblem for the International Society for Cryptozoology. Cryptozoologists are focused on animals that have still not been documented by science, or species that is considered extinct.
The Okapi is found in the genus Okapia within the family Giraffidae. Just like the giraffes, it belongs to the order Artiodactyla – the eventoed ungulates. The scientific name for the Okapi is Okapia johnstoni, as a tribute to famous explorer Sir Harry Johnston who was responsible for the finding of an Okapi in 1901.
The Okapi will usually reach a length of 2-2.5 metres / 7-8 feet, and have a shoulder height of roughly 1.5-2 metres /5-6 feet. The typical weight range is from 200 to 250 kg / 465 to 550 lbs. The female Okapi is taller than the male and will weigh 25-50 kilograms / 55-110 pounds more than him.
As mentioned above, the body coloration of the Okapi is similar to zebra stripes. The main body is dark, but the legs are covered in white horizontal stripes. The stripes have probably developed in order to keep the Okapi camouflaged in the rainforest, but they might also make it easier for young Okapis to follow their mother. The male Okapi grows small, skin-covered horns. The Okapi is related to the Giraffe, but do not have the extraordinary long neck for which the giraffe is famous. Both animals do however share the same main body shape and they use their flexible blue tongues to strip buds and leaves from trees. The Okapi is also found of grass, fruits, fungi and ferns. The tongue will usually be around 30 centimetres / 12 inches long. Did you know that the Okapi is capable of licking its own ears? The ears are quite large and make it possible for the Okapi to hear the sounds of a stalking leopard. The Okapi is night active and do not require a lot of sleep. Research shows that an Okapi can remain alert even if it only gets a few minutes of sleep in a 24 hour period.
The Okapis live alone, with the exception of young Okapis who will spend 2-3 years with their mother. Male and female Okapis only come together to mate. The gestation period for an Okapi is 14-16 month and the female will usually give birth to only one young. In captivity, an Okapi can reach an age of 30 years or more.
Okapis claim territories and use scent glands to communicate with each other. The scent glands are located on their feet will excrete a tar-like compound. Okapis will also use urine to mark their territory. Males will protect their territory from other males, but will usually let females feed without protest.
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