Okapi An Unusual Forest Dweller

Sidra Ghaffar (BSBA, 7

th
Semster)
The Okapi is an elusive herbivore. It is located in a northeast of tropical mountain forest in
central Africa. It is a beautiful and unusual animal. It has a life span of 15 to 20 years in
captivity.
Okapis Taonomical name is Okapia !ohnston. "ntil 1#01 it $as not kno$n to science. It
eistence $as found in1%%& in press report coverin' (enry )orton *tanleyss +ourney. And this
became media event in 1#01 $ith the 'reat efforts of (enry !ohnston. And today they are
approimately 10,000-20,000 in number and no$ been displayed by .2 different institutes $orld
$ide
Okapi/s velvet coat is deep reddish-bro$n or purplish red in color. *ome people have vie$ed that
Okapi seems as 0ebra because it has striped le's but $hen you look at an okapis head, you $ill
notice a resemblance to 1iraffe. Okapis stripes help animal hide from predator.
It has a lar'e ear. It hei'ht to shoulder is about 5 feet and 2ei'ht about .50-550 pounds. It len'th
is about 5 to 3 feet. The Okapi has a lon', sticky ton'ue $hich it uses to 'et leaves and for
'roomin'. )ale okapis have short, skin-covered horns called /ossicones/ on their forehead $hich
develop bet$een one and five years of a'e.
Okapi Diets:
Okapi are 'ra4er. They s$allo$ their food $ithout che$in' it. Okapi eats leaves, seeds, fruit,
ferns, and youn' shoots of forests plants, spendin' most of its time eatin'. They can reach
branches 10 feet above the 'round.
Okapi Ecology and Behavior:
Okapi is usually a solitary animal. To locate breedin' partners, okapis use their $ell-developed
sense of smell. 2hen the female is in breedin' condition, she is shado$ed by a male. *ometimes
t$o males become interested in the same female, in $hich case they $ill fi'ht, $restlin' each
other $ith their necks, like 'iraffes, and buttin' each other.
Quick facts
Class: )ammalia 5)ammals6
Order: Artiodactyla
Family: 1iraffidae
Genus: Okapia
Species: johnstoni
ei!ht: about 5 feet 51.5 meters6
"ei!ht: males7..0 to 330 pounds 5200 to 800 kilo'rams69 females7.#5 to &&0 pounds 5225 to
850 kilo'rams6
#ife span: 20 to 80 years
Gestati$n: 1. to 13 months
%um&er $f y$un! at &irth:usually 1
Si'e at &irth: about 2.3 feet 5%0 centimeters6 tall, about 85 pounds 513 kilo'rams6
A!e $f maturity:2 to 8 years
Fun facts
( :emale okapis are +ust sli'htly taller than male okapis but $ei'h 55 to 110 pounds 525 to 50
kilo'rams6 more.
( ;eopards are the okapis main natural predator.
( The okapis dark ton'ue is lon' enou'h to clean its eyes and ears<
( Onions are the okapis favorite treat at the *an =ie'o 0oo and the *afari >ark< They are fed
onions once a $eek.
Source: http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbtes/t!okapi.html