Animalscaretips
- What is special about okapis?
- What are okapis afraid of?
- How many babies do okapis have?
- What animals eat okapi?
- How do okapis protect themselves?
- How fast can okapis run?
- What plants do okapis eat?
- What is an okapis habitat?
- How long is an okapis tongue?
- How do okapis move?
- How are okapis made?
- Do okapis have horns?
- Are okapis hybrids?
- Why are okapis endangered?
What is special about okapis?
Known as the “forest giraffe,” the okapi looks more like a cross between a deer and a zebra. Nevertheless, it's the giraffe's only living relative. ... Except for the tips, the okapi's short horns are covered in skin. While all males have horns, most females have knobby bumps instead.
What are okapis afraid of?
Okapis are afraid of leopards!
How many babies do okapis have?
Okapi gestation lasts between 14 and 16 months, and a female okapi gives birth to one calf.
What animals eat okapi?
Leopards are the main predator of okapis. The stripes on okapis' legs and rump help to break up the outline of their body and camouflage them in the shadows of the rainforest.
How do okapis protect themselves?
Okapis have many defenses to keep them one step ahead of the leopard. ... The males have short horns on their head called ossicones, like their closest relative the giraffe, which they can use to fight off leopards.
How fast can okapis run?
How fast can an okapi run? The Okapis can attain speeds up to 37 mph (60 kmph).
What plants do okapis eat?
They eat leaves, shoots and twigs that are drawn into their mouths using their long prehensile tongue along with fruits, berries and other plant parts. The Okapi will even eat fungi on occasion and is known to eat more than 100 different types of plant, many of which are poisonous to other animals and Humans.
What is an okapis habitat?
Native to the Democratic Republic of Congo, okapis are mainly found within the Ituri Forest and prefer very dense tropical rainforests. While they usually remain in the thick vegetation, they also frequent nearby riverbeds.
How long is an okapis tongue?
The okapi's long prehensile tongue is used to strip leaves from branches and vines. Their tongue is 12-14 inches (30-36 cm) long and black or dark blue in color.
How do okapis move?
An okapi's walk also closely resembles that of a giraffe – both animals simultaneously step with the same front and hind leg on each side rather than moving alternate legs like other ungulates.
How are okapis made?
After Canthumeryx, the family tree split into two branches, with the ancestors of the giraffe on one side and the precursors to the okapi on the other. While the giraffe ancestors' necks lengthened over time, the animals on the okapi side developed shorter necks.
Do okapis have horns?
Male okapi have furry horns on their heads called ossicones, a bit like the giraffe's horns, though these are found on both male and female giraffe.
Are okapis hybrids?
Okapis only look like they are a hybrid of giraffe and zebra, but they are actually their own species! They are related to the giraffe but have a shorter neck and shorter legs. The only place in the world where okapis are found is in the forests of Democratic Republic of Congo (Africa).
Why are okapis endangered?
Ongoing threats from armed conflict, habitat fragmentation, human encroachment, and poaching have rendered the species endangered in the last year. Only known to the Western world since 1901, the elusive okapi is nearly impossible to observe in the wild because its sense of hearing and smell are extremely acute.
