The okapi was first discovered by the western world by ZSL fellow, Sir Harry Johnston, in 1901 but what else do we know about this extraordinary and shy creature? The only place in the world that you can find a wild okapi is in the dense tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Where is the okapi found?

The okapi is native to the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo—the only place where it can be found in the wild—and has thick, oily fur to stay dry in the rain.

How did the okapi come to be?

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.

How many okapi are left in the world?

The Okapi is also called the forest zebra. How many Okapis are left in the world? There are 22,000 Okapis left in the world.

How did the okapi get its name?

Okapia liebrecht originated when, in the late 1800s, Forsyth Major concluded that a specimen of skin and skulls were a different species. Okapia erikssoni was named in 1903 by Lord Rothschild who found the skin of a female okapi to be different.

Okapi: The Forest Giraffe with a Prehensile Tongue

35 related questions found

Are okapi shy?

Okapis are very shy. Their reddish brown-black coat camouflages them in the deep forest. In the thick trees and underbrush, okapis rely on their hearing to warn them of danger.

Is an okapi a hybrid?

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).

What would happen if the okapi went extinct?

John Lukas: If the okapi were to go extinct, it would be a great loss to the people of DRC, the okapi is their symbol of their bountiful biodiversity and wild places, and as a symbol of ICCN, it would be a failure that would be difficult to overcome and a foreboding for the other endangered species that require ...

Are okapi gentle?

Shy and elusive as it is serene and gentle, with remarkable natural defenses against predation (not least of which, its extraordinary markings), the okapi is nearly impossible to observe in the wild.

Can you eat okapi?

Okapi are hunted for meat and skins, and a major threat to this species is habitat loss due to logging and human settlement. Illegal armed groups in some protected areas have prevented effective conservation action.

What animals have Ossicones?

Ossicones are columnar or conical skin-covered bone structures on the heads of giraffes, male okapi, and some of their extinct relatives.

How long do okapi live for?

Calves are weaned at about six months, although they may continue to suckle for a year. Males develop ossicones between one and five years. Lifespan in the wild is difficult to determine for these secretive animals but in captivity okapi can live between 15 and 20 years.

Do okapi live in Africa?

Wild okapi live exclusively in the Ituri Rainforest in northwest Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa.

Did you know facts about okapi?

The okapi: 5 weird and wonderful facts

• They're a Pixar protagonist in the making. Shy and usually solitary, the okapi is nearly impossible to observe in the wild. ...
• They are great at Hide-and-Seek. ...
• They have infrasonic superpowers. ...
• They have stinky feet. ...
• They can lick their own ears!

Are there okapi in Kenya?

There are nine sub-species of giraffe that are identified by the pattern of the dark brown markings and by where they are found in Africa. For example, the Masai giraffe of Kenya has a pattern that looks like oak leaves. The okapi is found in rainforests in the Democratic Republic of Congo in central Africa.

Does the okapi sleep?

The okapi only sleeps 5 minutes per day! It has about ten slow wave sleep phases, but they are never longer than 30 seconds each. However, the okapi likes to snooze and spends up to six hours per night on its resting place.

Where are okapi found in Africa?

The okapi (/oʊˈkɑːpiː/; Okapia johnstoni), also known as the forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe, or zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal that is endemic to the northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa.

Why should we save the okapi?

As a flagship species protecting okapi maximizes conservation efforts and dollars, securing habitat and protection for all the elephants, chimpanzees, birds, antelope, primates and millions of plant and animal species found in the Ituri ecosystem.

Why did the okapi become 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.

Can zebra and horse mate?

Horses and zebras can reproduce, and whether the result is a zorse or a hebra depends on the parents. It's an unusual pairing usually requiring human help. Other zebra hybrids include the zonkey. Properly imprinted, equine hybrids can be trained like other domestic donkeys and horses.

Can giraffe mate with Okapi?

With the help of two okapis and a giraffe, they could make medical history and bless the world with one more okapi. ... "They're sort of a cross between a giraffe with a short neck and a zebra, with stripes, especially on their rear ends."

What was the first hybrid animal?

The first known instance of hybrid speciation in marine mammals was discovered in 2014. The clymene dolphin (Stenella clymene) is a hybrid of two Atlantic species, the spinner and striped dolphins.