Okapi- Interesting Facts About the Okapi You Probably Didn’t Know
Okapi- Interesting Facts About the Okapi You Probably Didn’t Know
The sole surviving member of the giraffe family and member of the same family as the giraffe is the okapi.
the family’s member
Although the giraffe and okapi initially have quite distinct appearances, they really have many similarities, including a long, black tongue. The 14–18-inch long tongue of the okapi allows it to lick its prey’s ears and eyelids.
geographic scope
The giraffe lives in the open savannah areas, whereas the okapi lives in the deep rainforests. Currently, the okapi can only be found in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, however it formerly once resided in Uganda’s Semliki Forest.
unique to scientists
Explorers in the 1880s heard tales of a striped donkey; the okapi was not discovered by Western scientists until the 20th century. It was given the scientific name (Okapia jonstoni) in 1901 and given the name “okap,” which derives from the local word “o’ api” or “Johnston,” in honour of the British Governor of Uganda, Sir Harry Johnston, who owned an okab.
features of society
Despite sharing a major ecological area of 3-5 sq km for mature females and up to 13 sq km for adult males, okapis are thought to be solitary animals.
Threats and dangers
The main threats to the survival of the okapi include habitat degradation brought on by excessive tree cutting and the expansion of human settlements, as well as the obstruction of efficient conservation efforts by illegal armed groups in certain protected areas. Okapi are killed for their flesh and skins. This species is classified on the Red List of the International Union for Conservation of Nature as one of the endangered species. In June 2012, the main centre of a nature reserve devoted to the protection of the oak was assaulted, resulting in seven deaths and fourteen captures.
consuming food in the wilderness
The okapi is the only form of hoofed mammal that relies on the leaves, and it is known that it eats more than 100 different plant species. Despite being a nocturnal animal, the okapi is also known to consume more than 100 different plant species during the day.