Funny Animals - The Okapi
The Okapi is a mammal that is native to the country of Congo. More
specifically, it is native to the Ituri rain forest , which is found in
the northeastern part of the Congo. This animal is most closely related
to the giraffe even though it has stripes that remind you of a zebra.
The Okapi like to be in altitudes between 500 - 1000 meters. However, in
the eastern rain forests, they are known to travel higher than that. In
fact, there was one sighting of an Okapi on Mount Hoyo at an altitude of
1450 meters. The Okapi is very common in the areas of Epulu and Wamba.
They are found in dense areas of the rain forest and they also live near
river banks and areas around streams.
The Okapi has a look that has been described by some as the look of a
horse. The average length of its body is about two and a half metres.
The average height is around one and a half metres. Compared to similar
animals, the neck of the Okapi is fairly long. It has ears that flexible
and large. The color of this animal is chocolate brown and it has
horizontal stripes that are white. These stripes are found on it
hindquarters, ankles, and hindquarters.
The Okapi has a color pattern that is not only unique but it is also
practical because it helps the animal camouflage into the dense forest
areas and leaves where it resides. The Okapi males have horns that are
covered by hair. Its horns do not get longer than 15 cm long. The female
is on average 4.2 cm taller than male Okapi and doesn't have horns.
The Okapi has a long black tongue that it uses for plucking leaves,
branches and also for grooming. The Okapi is similar to a giraffe in the
way it walks.
In the wild, the Okapi are not social animals. They tend to remain
solitary although they will tolerate each other in the wild on most
occasions. The main time they come together is to mate. This animal has
home ranges that range around several square kilometres. The home range
of the female is slightly smaller than the male. |
