five amusing information about Okapi

5 amusing information about Okapi

1. Okapi lives in the tropical rainforest of the Central Africa which is known as Ituri Rainforest. Okapi is truly a single of the last remaining ancestors of the Giraffe.Okapi has the most amusing and appealing feature the horizontal stripes that are particularly visible on its back and it also seems like Zebra. Furthermore, Okapis have reddish dark backs and back legs and their body shape is comparable to that of the giraffe, except okapis have significantly shorter necks.

Okapi is known as the Giraffe’s cousin – Image: ecololo

two.Okapi is a herbivore which belongs to Giraffidae and its scientific name is Okapia johnstoni. The okapi’s tongue is also extended enough for the animal to wash its eyelids and clean its ears (inside and out). This sticky tongue is pointed and bluish-grey in colour like that of the giraffe. Okapis are 1.9 to 2.five m (6.2 to eight.2 ft) long (from the head to the base of the tail) and stand 1.five to two. m (four.9 to six.6 ft) higher at the shoulder. They have 30- to 42-cm-long tails. Their weight ranges from 200 to 350 kg (440 to 770 lb).

Okapis are normally solitary mammals. Image: Sheila Sund

three. Okapi is usually a solitary mammal which loves to pass a diurnal life. With an typical life span of 25-30 years, the species is classified as Near Threatened by IUCN.  Okapis are observed together only to breed, with the exception of mothers and offspring. Breeding behaviours consist of sniffing, circling, and licking every single other. A female okapi communicates specific vocal sounds to invite a male okapi for mating. The Gestation period in female Okapi is around 427-491 days and she provides birth to a single calf. Newborns can weigh up to 30kg. A young okapi grows into an adult after 3 years of birth.

Okapi is an African animal – Image by dendrea

4. Okapi is generally a tranquil and non-aggressive animal. Even so, when in danger, the aggressive behaviors consist of kicking, head-throwing, and slaps making use of the side or prime of head as a blow to flank or rump. Kicking is often symbolic with no speak to. Males are larger than females and the males have skin-covered horns. Females have no horns but do have “bumps” or hair whorls on head exactly where horns would be sometimes have rudimentary horns.

An Okapi Calf – Image by Kevin Baird

five. The biggest population of Okapis reside in the Democratic Republic of Congo exactly where they have the threats like Habitat Destruction and Poaching. One particular of the 5 amusing details about Okapi is that Okapis are ruminants i.e. they swallow their meals initially and later regurgitate it, for chewing and swallowing it the last time. Okapis, even though generally silent, make specific vocal sounds such as ‘chuff’, ‘bleat’ and ‘moo’. When okapis have been initial discovered, there have been about 40,000 of them in existence. Now, the estimated population is much less than ten,000.