Page 116 - Present Day Wildlife_Float

Okapi, (Okapia johnstoni), is a cud-chewing hoofed mammal and the only species in the
genus Okapia which is a member of the family Giraffidae. It was always thought to be found
exclusively in the Ituri Rainforest area in the northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo, but
has recently been sighted south-west of the Congo
River. Male okapis are about 2 to 3 metres in
length and stand around 1.5 metres tall at the
shoulder. Adult males weigh around 200 to 300
kg. Females are slightly lighter.

The Okapis coat is reddish brown in colour,
and is extremely greasy. The grease renders its
coat watertight, keeping it dry in its wet rainforest
environment. Its backside, thighs, and tops of the
forelegs are striped black and white, and the lower
parts of the legs white with black rings above the
hooves. It has a large head with a long blunt
snout, large round eyes and big flexible, but very
sensitive, ears. It has a long prehensile tongue; so
long it’s the only animal known that can wipe its
eyes and clean its ears with its own tongue. Males
have short, two skin-covered horns on the crown
of their heads called ossicones. Females do not
have ossicones, but some may have small lumps
instead

The okapi’s habitat is the northern rainfor-
ests in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. In
the wild it’s a shy illusive animal, the mere hint of
man’s presence, sends it fleeing into the dense un-
dergrowth of the forest, where its coloured coat
blends seamlessly with the dark wet interior, mak-
ing it almost impossible to find. It lives a solitary
life and is territorial, marking its boundaries with
The Okapis long prehensile tongue urine and a thick sticky and very smelly substance
it secrets from glands in its hooves. They are
known to occasionally gather in small groups in
clear areas of the forest, to socialise and play. Like most herbivorous animals they are not nor-
mally aggressive; however, they have been seen kicking and head butting other males during the
mating season. They communicate through facial expressions, pursing their lips directly at one
another and making chuffing and moaning sounds.

Okapis are herbivores, and feed on tree leaves and buds,
branches, grasses, fruits, and fungi. It’s estimated they eat over
a hundred different plant species; some are even poisonous to
humans and other animals. They consume around 45 and 60
pounds of food each day, and to get essential minerals and
salts will eat clay from riverbeds. For other essential nutrients
lacking in their daily diet, they will occasionally eat bat excre-
ment. Although they do not prey on animals, they are preyed
on by large predators like the leopard (Panthera pardus). In
their native habitat Okapis are still a bit of a mystery. They are
so shy and reclusive it’s hard for researchers to find them and
to study them for any length of time. Even the number of ani-
mals in the wild (believed to be small) is just a rough estimate.
Much of what is known about this shy animal has been gleaned
from those held in captivity.