Okapi
Okapi Origins
The okapi is native to the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo and is the only living cousin of the giraffe (Kümpel et al., 2015 a.). Okapis are reclusive animals that only come together for small periods of time to feed or mate. Their reclusive behavior makes it hard to spot one in the dense forests they call home. The okapi has a dark brown upper body, as well as stripes on their hindquarters and front legs that allow them to blend in to the rainforest when there is partial sunlight (Kümpel et al., 2015 b.).
360 Surround Sound
If you've ever seen this animal out in a forest; or, more commonly at the zoo, you may have been able to see very interesting features that this creature contains. One of these unique characteristics includes their ears. The okapi has large ears that can turn independently, allowing it to hear from both the front and back at the same time (Kümpel et al., 2015 b.). In this video, watch as the okapi turns one ear at a time instead of both in unison. This makes it easier to notice if predators are around them.
Chews Wisely
The okapi is an herbivore that relies on leaves from trees to provide all of the nutrients it requires like vitamin A, D, and E (Lyon, 2004). As a ruminant, the okapi has a stomach with four chambers: the rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum. The rumen deals with the fermentation of food by microbes, after which the reticulum takes the partially digested plant material and forces it back up the esophagus so that cellulose can be mechanically broken down further. After multiple repetitions, the broken-down cellulose goes to the omasum, where water absorption will occur. Finally, the food reaches the abomasum, or "true" stomach, where the nutrients are absorbed.
Image from Okapi Nutrition
Image from IFLScience
Go Long!!
The okapi is a herbivore that eats primarily leaves and twigs found on the understory of dense forests. The okapi uses its long tongue to grab leaves from the trees' foliage. An okapi's tongue is prehensile, and it can reach a length of 30 cm to grasp food (Kümpell et al., 2015 b.). The Okapi as a ruminant does not have any upper incisors in its mouth but does have lower incisors. Interestingly, the okapi's incisors and molars on their lower teeth are considered relatively small (Colbert, 1938).
It's The Climb!
The okapi acquires its food as a continuous feeder by walking around the rainforest for several kilometers a day. Okapis leave a scent trail from their feet that other okapis can follow, letting the okapi create trails to mark its own territory, which helps compensate for the okapi's poor eyesight (San Diego Zoo, 2013). Other okapis will then use these trails to help find their food. The okapi is classified as a browser, as it walks and browses through leaves to find its food (Clauss, 2006).
Image from Britannica
What In The Stripes?
Contrary to popular belief, the okapi is not a relative of the zebra and is only a cousin to the giraffe. The taxonomy of the okapi is mammalia, artiodactyla, Ruminantia, Pecora, Giraffidae, Palaeotraginae, Okapia, and Okapia johnstoni (Kümpel, 2015 b.). The okapi, like the giraffe, has skin-covered ossicones (mainly on males) and long legs proportional to its compact and robust body (Kümpel, 2015 b.).
References
Clauss, M., J. Hummel, J. Völlm, A. Lorenz, A, and R R. Hofmann. 2006. The allocation of a ruminant feeding type to the okapi (Okapia johnstoni) on the basis of morphological parameters. Pages 253-270 in Zoo Animal Nutrition. A. Fidgett, M. Clauss, K. Eulenberger, J.-M. Hatt, I. Hume, G. Janssens, J. Nijboer, eds. Filander, Federal Republic of Germany.
Kümpel, N. F., S. Grange, and J. Fennessy. 2015. a. Giraffe and okapi: Africa’s forgotten megafauna. African Journal of ecology. 53:132-134.
Kümpel, N. F., A. Quinn, E. Queslin, S. Grange, D. Mallon, and J.-J. Mapilanga. 2015. b. Okapi (Okapia Johnstoni): Conservation strategy and status review. IUCN SSC Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group (GOSG), Gland, Switzerland.
Colbert, E. H. 1938. The Relationships of the Okapi. J. Mammal. 19:47-64. https://doi.org/10.2307/1374281
Lyon, F.. 2004. Husbandry Guidelines For The Okapi SSP. 1st ed. Brookfield Zoo, Brookfield, IL.
San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance. 2013. Okapi. https://animals.sandiegozoo.org/animals/okapi (Accessed 5 December 2023.)