Okapi or “forest giraffe” (lat. Okapia johnstoni)

Okapi belongs to the giraffe family. No one knows how many individuals of this species live in the wild. Okapi live exclusively in the lowland tropical rainforests of northern, central and eastern Zaire, as well as on the Zaire-Uganda border.

photo: Derek Keats

Appearance

Although characteristic features males indicate a relationship with a giraffe - okapi and giraffes have small horns on their heads, more precisely, bony outgrowths covered with skin and overgrown with hair, but in appearance okapi is most similar to a zebra. He has relatively long neck. Forehead, neck and body brown, with light brown or gray areas on the cheeks, throat and chest. Females are slightly taller than males. The stripes on their legs make them invisible in the forest. The length of an adult animal is 2-2.1 m, and its weight is 200-250 kg. Newborns weigh about 16-20 kg.

photo: Derek Keats

Eating habits

Okapi feed mainly on leaves, buds, and shoots of more than 100 various types forest plants. Many of which are known to be poisonous to humans. Therefore, there is an opinion that this is why okapi eat coal obtained from burned forest trees. Carbon, in the form of charcoal, is a good antidote. They also eat grasses, fruits, ferns and mushrooms.

The animal has a long and thin tongue of a bluish color. Okapi cannot jump to reach the top branches of a tree, but thanks to its mobile neck and long tongue, the animal reaches branches at a height of up to 3 m.

photo: Alan Hill

Reproduction

Males and females of okapi stay solitary and meet together only in mating season. A female ready for mating marks her territory with a special smell, which is a signal for the male to take action.

Okapi pregnancy is quite long - it lasts 450 days. Newborns are able to stand on their feet within 6-12 hours. They spend the first day or two of life near their mother and explore environment. After this, they find a suitable shelter and form a kind of nest. Over the next two months, they spend 80% of their time in this nest. Secretive behavior contributes rapid growth and provides protection from predators. A disturbed calf will lie motionless in its nest, and the female okapi will aggressively defend her calf. They become independent at the age of nine months.

Males begin to develop their antlers at about one year of age and reach their adult size before they are three years old. They are believed to become sexually mature at around two years of age. In captivity, okapi are known to live up to 33 years.

photo: Paul MOINE

Behavior and habitats

Okapi lives in dense tropical forests, leading a diurnal lifestyle. It is known that it prefers dense, impassable places and moves into them along well-trodden paths. A convenient place for him to live is in shaded places where the branches and leaves of growing trees form thick, light-proof vaults.

Okapi are found singly or in pairs: a female and her offspring. The territories of males and females often overlap, with males' ranges typically being slightly larger than those of females. Although okapi are not social animals, they can spend some time in small groups, such as when feeding.

photo:photocat001

Status and saving

The exact number of okapi in the wild is unknown. It is very difficult to obtain permission to catch this rare animal. Therefore, it is kept very rarely in zoos. Does not reproduce well in captivity. Since 1932, okapi has been protected in Zaire, but it is still hunted to this day. Habitat loss due to deforestation, as well as poaching, continue to limit the species' range and have a detrimental effect on population numbers. The okapi's habitat is very limited, so the future of these animals directly depends on its conservation.

photo: Larry

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The okapi animal is the only representative of its kind from the Giraffidae family, which belongs to the Artiodactyla order.

The external characteristics of the wild animal are somewhat reminiscent of a horse and, moreover, there are characteristic white stripes on its legs that can confuse you and make you think that it is a zebra.

We hasten to assure you that this is not so, and in this article, we will lift the veil of secrets and tell you the whole truth about these very shy and secretive animals.

Appearance

The body length of an adult reaches 2.5 meters, height at the withers is from 152 to 173 cm. The average tail is 35-45 cm, weight reaches up to 255 kg. The eyes are pronounced, the ears are large and long. The beast's tongue is so long that it can lick its eyes with it.

The animal has two small horns on its head, but only the male has them; the female does not have them. Noteworthy: the female is several centimeters taller than the male.

The color of the mammal's coat is chocolate-colored, the coat is smooth and velvety, and may shimmer into a scarlet hue. The legs are long, of course not as long as those, but much stronger and more powerful. They have whitish or dark tones, the muzzle is black and white. The neck is long and endowed with powerful and elastic muscles.

Habitat

The okapi animal lives in central Africa in the Republic of Congo. Preferred places for living and breeding are tropical dense forests in the northern and eastern parts of the country. These places have the status of nature reserves, such as:

Virunga;
Salonga;
Maiko;

Many lovers of these exotics are interested in total quantity animals living in this territory. Nobody has official data, since this species leads a secretive lifestyle. According to unofficial data, there are from 40 to 55 thousand of them, and in zoos different countries there are no more than 162 of them.

It’s sad, but we have to admit that every year their numbers are steadily declining due to constant deforestation, thereby forcing the population to look for new places to live. The fact is that okapi has a very difficult time adapting to territories unfamiliar to it, and often simply dies. The body of this animal species is stress-resistant, which also has a detrimental effect on their numbers.

Lifestyle, nutrition

The diet of the mountain giraffe, also called okapi, is no different from its brother, the common giraffe. It actively eats the deciduous part of woody plants.

The beast grabs a young shoot with its long and powerful tongue, sliding it a little towards itself and tearing off the entire leafy part. But that's not all the food he can eat. Here are some other types of food he often eats:

Mushrooms;
Fruits;
Ferns;

However, our hero is very picky about food. Scientists have recorded that out of 14 plant families, he pays royal attention to only 29 types of herbs.

Charcoal and clay were found in the animal's feces, which it eats off the coast. forest rivers. Apparently, okapi replenishes mineral deficiencies in the body.

They eat in the daytime and spend all their life activity in the daytime. After dusk falls, they remain for the night in the same place. They mostly lead a solitary lifestyle, but they can form small groups. What makes them do this is not known for certain.

Reproduction

The mating season is from May to the end of July. The animal gives birth to okapi offspring during the rainy season from August to October; until this time, the female carries the baby in her womb for more than 450 days.

When it comes important point, the female tries to go to the most thorny places to give birth in complete privacy. The baby is left alone for some time. When she returns to give the baby her rich milk, she makes special sounds to which the little okapi responds; the baby’s sound often resembles a cough.

At first, the mother protects her offspring; there were situations where she even attacked people in order to protect her offspring.

Lifespan

IN wildlife the animal lives no more than 30 years. Under special conditions of keeping and feeding, it can live up to 40 years.

More more photos with okapi in good resolution you can.

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Okapi belongs to the order Artiodactyls. Forms a separate species that lives in the central tropical regions of Africa. These are the northeastern regions Democratic Republic Congo. The animal is very secretive, and therefore it has been poorly studied. By appearance somewhat reminiscent of a zebra, but has no kinship with it. But she has a lot in common with the giraffe, which is why she is part of the giraffe family. To date, the exact population size is unknown. Presumably, between 10 and 20 thousand of these animals live in the wild. Representatives of this species are also kept in 42 zoos around the world.

Appearance

The animal's body shape is similar to that of a giraffe. The legs are long, but the neck is much shorter than that of its taller relative. What they have in common is long tongue. It reaches almost 35 cm in length. The animal can easily reach their eyes. And it serves to get leaves and buds from trees. And of course hygiene. Wash your eyelids, clean your ears. The okapi does all this with its tongue. This animal is very clean and neat. The color of the tongue is bluish-gray. The giraffe has exactly the same color.

The wool is velvety. The color is dark brown with a reddish tint. There are horizontal light stripes on the limbs. Therefore, from afar the animal can be mistaken for a zebra. There are both dark and light shades on the face. Males have skin-covered horns; females do not. The ears are large and the hearing is perfect, so it is very difficult for a predator to catch this representative of the giraffe family. As for size, the body length is 1.9-2.3 meters. This is from the head to the base of the tail. The tail itself grows 35-42 cm in length. The height at the withers is from 1.5 to 1.8 meters. Weight ranges from 200 to 350 kg. Females and males are the same size.

Reproduction and lifespan

Given that the animal is secretive, little is known about its pregnancy. The pregnancy itself lasts about 15 months. The cub appears during the rainy season. The female gives birth in a remote thicket. The baby hides in it for a couple of weeks until he gets stronger. After this, he begins to follow his mother everywhere. She is very caring and protects the cub from any danger. At what age the baby begins independent life is unknown. But life expectancy in captivity is 30 years. As for wildlife, there is no data here.

Behavior and nutrition

Okapi tends to live a solitary lifestyle. Males and females mark their territories and jealously guard them from strangers. Males live separately, females with cubs. The animal feeds mainly during the daytime and hides in the thickets at night. This population lives at an altitude of 500-1000 meters above sea level. In the eastern part of its habitat it rises higher into mountain tropical forests. The skin has a water-repellent property, so during the rainy season this representative of the giraffe family does not get wet, as the water rolls to the ground.

The diet consists of leaves, grass, ferns, fruits, and mushrooms. Some types of plants that the animal eats are poisonous to humans. The diet also includes charred trees burned by lightning strikes. Mineral salts are consumed, as well as brackish reddish clay near streams and rivers. This type is unique, and lives in areas that are constantly shaking social conflicts. Therefore, in 1992, a special Okapi reserve was created to preserve these animals. About 7 thousand representatives of the species live in it.

The discovery of okapi in the 20th century caused a huge sensation. Traveler Stanley G. first spoke about these animals. In 1890, he published a report on animals that lived in the forests of the Congo. This information was confirmed 9 years later, when Johnston found confirmation of this information. After this, in 1900, zoologists published a description of a new species of animal, which was initially called “Johnson’s horse.”

Okapi are a species of artiodactyls. Outwardly, these animals are a little similar to zebras, but family ties they have closer to the giraffes. The legs are long and the neck is elongated, but shorter than that of a giraffe. But the blue tongue, which can reach 35 centimeters, is the same as that of giraffes. Males have horns. The dark-colored coat has a brownish-reddish tint. There are horizontal stripes on the legs. At the same time, the fur on the animal’s legs is light, and the stripes are brown and black. It is these stripes that make okapi look like a zebra.

In general, the animal’s body length is approximately two to two and a half meters excluding the tail, the animal’s height reaches one and a half meters. The length of the tail can reach half a meter. With such sizes, the weight of individuals can reach 350 kilograms.

Lifestyle: nutrition and reproduction

Okapi animals have a clearly defined territory. The boundaries of the marked territory are guarded by animals. As a rule, males live separately from females with cubs. The main activity of animals occurs during the daytime.

Representatives of this genus feed, like giraffes:

tree leaves,
fruits.
mushrooms.

Okapi are quite picky when choosing food, but despite this animal can eat poisonous plants and charred trees, burned by lightning strikes. And to compensate for the lack of minerals in the body, the animal feeds on reddish clay near water bodies.

In the spring, you can watch how males engage in battles for females, clashing necks. The mating period is a rare period of time when female and male okapis can be seen together. It happens that a couple is accompanied by a one-year-old cub, to which the male is not yet hostile.

Okapi female pregnancy lasts more than a year– approximately 15 months. Childbirth occurs during the rainy season; in Congo, this period begins in August and lasts until October. Childbirth occurs in the most remote places. The first few days when a baby is born lies hidden among the vegetation. Little okapi can moo and whistle softly, and also, like adults, make sounds similar to coughing. The mother finds the cub in the thicket by its voice. At the time of birth, the weight of the cub can reach 30 kilograms.

Feeding babies lasts about six months. It is still not known exactly when the cub becomes independent. After a year, males begin to erupt in horns. From two years of age, animals become sexually mature, and by three years of age, okapi become adults. The lifespan of animals in natural conditions has not been reliably established.

Habitat

In nature, okapi are found only in the tropical forests of northeastern Congo. For example, animals can be found:

in the Salonga Nature Reserve;
in the Virunga Nature Reserve;
in the Maiko Nature Reserve.

Okapi live at altitudes from five hundred to one thousand meters. They choose places where there are a lot of bushes and thickets, because in case of danger they hide among them. Rare, but also found on open plains, closer to water.

Males and females have their own feeding areas. These areas may overlap each other. Males also calmly allow females to pass through their territory.

On at the moment There is no exact data on the number of okapi living in the Congo. Destruction of forests negatively affects the number of animals. At the moment okapi are listed in the Red Book as rare animals.

Life in captivity

For a long time zoos could not create conditions for okapi to live. The first time an okapi lived in captivity at the Antwerp Zoo for 50 days happened only in 1919. But from 1928 to 1943, a female okapi lived in this zoo. She died of starvation during World War II. They also did not immediately learn how to reproduce okapi in captivity. The first offspring born in captivity died. Only in 1956 were they able to hatch cubs in Paris.

Okapi is a very fastidious animal. For example, representatives of this genus cannot tolerate sudden changes in temperature and air humidity. They are also very sensitive to the composition of food.

True, in lately Some success has been achieved in keeping and breeding okapi in captivity. It was noted that young individuals adapt to the conditions of the enclosure faster. At first, they try not to disturb the animal. The composition of the food consists only of familiar food. If the animal senses danger, it may die from stress, since the heart cannot withstand the heavy load.

When the animal calms down and gets used to people a little, it is transported to the zoo. In this case, males and females must be kept separately in the enclosure, and the lighting must be monitored. There should not be more than one brightly lit area in the enclosure. If a female gives birth in captivity, then it is necessary to isolate her and the cub. For them they must create a dark corner, which would imitate a forest thicket.

Once accustomed, okapi become friendly to people. They can even take food directly from your hands.

Okapi is a cloven-hoofed mammal native to tropical forests located in the northeastern part of the Republic of Congo in Central Africa. Although the animal's striped markings are reminiscent of a zebra, the okapi is most closely related to the giraffe. Okapi and giraffe are the only representatives of the Giraffidae family.

In 2013, it was estimated that there are 10,000 okapi living in the wild. By comparison, in 2012 there were 40 thousand. That same year, the okapi was listed as a critically endangered species.

Appearance of okapi

The shape of the okapi's body resembles that of a giraffe - these animals also have long legs, but the neck is much shorter. A common feature Okapi has a long tongue, its length is 35 centimeters, and it easily reaches the eyes. With the help of this tongue, the animal takes out buds and leaves from trees. In addition, the tongue plays an important role in hygiene; okapi uses it to clean its ears and wash its eyes. It is worth noting that these are very neat and clean animals. The okapi's tongue, like that of the giraffe, is bluish-gray.

The coat is velvety dark brown with a reddish tint. The legs are decorated with light horizontal stripes, thanks to which okapi resemble zebras from afar. There are light and dark shades on the face.

Males have horns and are covered with skin. Females do not have horns. The ears are large, and the animal has perfect hearing, so it is difficult for a predator to catch it.

The body length from head to tail varies between 1.9-2.3 meters. The length of the tail itself is 35-42 centimeters. Okapi grow up to 1.5-1.8 meters in height.

Representatives of this species weigh from 200 to 350 kilograms, while males and females have the same size.

Lifestyle

Like related giraffes, okapi feed primarily on tree leaves: with their long and flexible tongue, the animals grab a young shoot of a bush and then tear off the foliage from it with a sliding movement. But since the okapi’s neck is shorter than that of a giraffe, this animal prefers to eat only that vegetation that grows closer to the ground. In addition, okapi eat grasses, ferns, mushrooms and fruits. As studies by zoologist De Medina have shown, okapi is quite picky when choosing food: of the 13 plant families that form the lower layer of the tropical forest, it regularly uses only 30 species. Charcoal and brackish clay containing saltpeter from the banks of forest streams were also found in okapi droppings. Apparently, this is how the animal compensates for the lack of mineral feed. Okapi feed during daylight hours.

Okapi are active during the day. Adult females have clearly defined areas, while the areas of males overlap and are not clearly defined. Okapi are solitary animals. Occasionally they can be found in small groups, but for what reasons they form them is still unknown.

Reproduction

The gestation period of an okapi is 450 days. The birth of offspring depends on the seasons: births occur in August-October, during the rainy season. To give birth, the female retires to the most remote places, and the newborn calf lies hidden in the thicket for several days. His mother finds him by his voice. The voice of adult okapi resembles a quiet cough. The cub also makes the same sounds, but it can also moo quietly like a calf or occasionally whistle quietly. The mother is very attached to the baby: there are cases when the female tried to drive even people away from the baby. Of the okapi's sense organs, hearing and smell are the most developed. In captivity, okapi can live up to 30 years.

Eating habits

Okapi feed primarily on the leaves, buds, and shoots of more than 100 different species of forest plants. Many of which are known to be poisonous to humans. Therefore, it is believed that this is why okapi eat charcoal obtained from burned forest trees. Carbon, in the form of charcoal, is a good antidote. They also eat grasses, fruits, ferns and mushrooms.

Life in captivity

For a long time, zoos could not create conditions for okapi to live. The first time an okapi lived in captivity at the Antwerp Zoo for 50 days happened only in 1919. But from 1928 to 1943, a female okapi lived in this zoo. She died of starvation during World War II. They also did not immediately learn how to reproduce okapi in captivity. The first offspring born in captivity died. Only in 1956 were they able to hatch cubs in Paris.

Okapi is a very fastidious animal. For example, representatives of this genus cannot tolerate sudden changes in temperature and air humidity. They are also very sensitive to the composition of food. True, recently certain successes have been achieved in keeping and breeding okapi in captivity. It was noted that young individuals adapt to the conditions of the enclosure faster. At first, they try not to disturb the animal. The composition of the food consists only of familiar food. If the animal senses danger, it may die from stress, since the heart cannot withstand the heavy load.

When the animal calms down and gets used to people a little, it is transported to the zoo. In this case, males and females must be kept separately in the enclosure, and the lighting must be monitored. There should not be more than one brightly lit area in the enclosure. If a female gives birth in captivity, then it is necessary to isolate her and the cub. They should create a dark corner that would imitate a forest thicket. Once accustomed, okapi become friendly to people. They can even take food directly from your hands.

1. Okapi, or forest giraffe, is a rare animal belonging to the giraffe family. IN natural environment They live only in the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa, so seeing okapi in person is not an easy task. In addition, these creatures are very shy and secretive, so you will have to try doubly hard.

2. Okapi have impressive dimensions: the body length of an adult is about 2 m, weight is about 250 kg, tail length is up to 40 cm. They also have a very long tongue: like their related giraffes, okapi feed on tree leaves and grass; less often - mushrooms and fruits.

3. Forest giraffes are solitary and diurnal; they can be found in pairs only during the mating season. Researchers note that occasionally okapi do form groups, but no explanation has yet been found for this behavior.

4. The duration of pregnancy for a forest giraffe is 440−450 days: as a result, a calf weighing 14−30 kg is born. On average, okapi live 20-30 years.

5. Main problem forest giraffe is a constant risk of ending up in the stomach of the most dangerous enemy - the leopard. Okapi has well-developed hearing, this allows the animal to react in time to approaching danger.

6. Okapi are very similar to horses, in addition, they have a color similar to zebras. That is why the traveler Henry Stanley could not surprise the aborigines with his horses: the pygmies responded that a similar creature lived in their forests. This is how the first information about the existence of okapi was obtained in 1890.

7. The world doesn’t know much about okapi: as already mentioned, these animals live in a country where things are going very badly. Besides, forest giraffes lead a predominantly solitary lifestyle and try to avoid prying eyes. But who knows, perhaps in the future researchers will be able to get to know okapi better.

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Sources

http://www.proxvost.info/animals/africa/okapi.php https://animalreader.ru/okapi-polosatyiy-zhiraf.html https://wiki2.org/ru/%D0%9E%D0%BA %D0%B0%D0%BF%D0%B8