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The okapi (/ oʊ ˈ k ɑː p iː /; Okapia johnstoni), also known as the forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe and zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal that is endemic to the northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa.
The giraffe stands 5–6 m (16–20 ft) tall, with males taller than females. The giraffe and the okapi have characteristic long necks and long legs. Ossicones are present on males and females in the giraffe, but only on males in the okapi. [6] Giraffids share many common features with other ruminants.
In okapi, the male's ossicones are smaller in proportion to the head, and taper towards their tips, forming a sharper point than the comparatively blunt giraffe ossicone. Whereas female giraffes have reduced ossicones, female okapi lack ossicones entirely. The morphology of ossicones in the extinct relatives of giraffes and okapi varies widely.
When competition for resources is fierce, being able to reach food that other animals cannot get to is a bonus. Possessing a foot-long tongue is a huge advantage and this is where the okapi excels.
The young okapi marks the 18th born at the Cincinnati Zoo since 1989. There are approximately 15,000 okapis globally, the zoo estimates. Habitat destruction and poaching have harmed the species ...
It’s the 18th okapi calf born at the zoo since 1989, and the fourth offspring for mom Kuvua, according to the zoo.
Giraffokeryx appeared 15–12 mya on the Indian subcontinent and resembled an okapi or a small giraffe, and had a longer neck and similar ossicones. [6] Giraffokeryx may have shared a clade with more massively built giraffids like Sivatherium and Bramatherium. [8] The extinct giraffid Samotherium (middle) in comparison with the okapi (below ...
The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its spotted coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi.