Although it is related to the giraffe, the okapi has a shorter neck and shorter legs. The male has short horns that are completely covered by skin except at the tips. Females become sexually mature at about age 2, whereas males reach this stage at age 3. Okapis have been exhibited in many zoological gardens and have been successfully bred in captivity. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The eyes and ears of both sexes are large, and the tongue is long and prehensile. Established in 1964, the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species has evolved to become the world’s most comprehensive information source on the global conservation status of animal, fungi and plant species. Most females do not possess horns, though they often display knobby bumps in their place. Ecologists estimate that fewer than 4,500 individuals live in the wild and that the population fell by more than 40 percent between 1995 and 2007. Gestation lasts 14–16 months, and breeding females produce a single calf, which weighs 14–30 kg (about 30–65 pounds) at birth. Other areas of occurrence are the Rubi Tele Hunting Reserve and the Abumombanzi Reserve. This article was most recently revised and updated by, World Association of Zoo and Aquariums - Okapi, okapi - Children's Encyclopedia (Ages 8-11), okapi - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up). By signing up for this email, you are agreeing to news, offers, and information from Encyclopaedia Britannica.

Okapis are hunted for their skins and meat, and they declined sharply in areas where local hunters relied on the use of cable snares to capture their prey. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species considers the okapi an endangered species. Adult females are slightly taller and weigh 25–50 kg (55–110 pounds) more than adult males. It is fully protected under Congolese law. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve and Maiko National Park support significant populations of the okapi, though a steady decline in numbers has occurred due to several threats. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree.... Get exclusive access to content from our 1768 First Edition with your subscription. The coat of the okapi is sleek and deep brown, almost purple, with the sides of the face pale white, and the forehead and ears may have a dull reddish cast. The giraffe, having a short body and great height, could not adopt the normal ruminant gait…. Okapi mothers communicate with their calves by making infrasounds, which are noises that are undetectable to the human ear. Although okapis are restricted to older rainforests characterized by closed high canopies, they can tolerate limited temporary human disturbances (such as those that accompany small-scale seed- and fruit-harvesting operations) that occur within these areas. However, ecologists note that okapis are probably vulnerable to large-scale intensive disturbances, such as logging and human settlement, that reduce their available habitat. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species considers the okapi an endangered species. Found in the rainforests of the Congo region, the okapi was unknown to science until 1901, when British explorer Sir Harry Hamilton Johnston sent the first bits of hide to the British Museum. Major threats include habitat loss due to logging and human settlement. Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Okapis may live as long as 20–30 years. The species is most concentrated in the forests of the Ituri, Aruwimi, and Nepoko basins. However, British American explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley had made the first report of the animal as early as 1890. Adult males typically weigh 200–300 kg (about 440–660 pounds). Omissions? Captive okapis may succumb to infection from Monodontella giraffae, a parasitic nematode that damages their bile ducts. ... Red List of Threatened Species, the okapi is endangered. It uses its long tongue to strip leaves from branches and supplements its diet with clay, burned wood, and bat guano. Male okapis average about 2.5 metres (about 8 feet) long and stand about 1.5 metres (about 5 feet) at the shoulder. Ecologists estimate that fewer than 4,500 individuals live in the wild and that the population fell by more than 40 percent between 1995 and 2007. The giraffe and the okapi (Giraffidae), two distinctive African species, are closely related to deer. The species is most concentrated in the forests of the Ituri, Aruwimi, and Nepoko basins. The buttocks, thighs, and tops of the forelegs are horizontally striped with black and white, and the lower parts of the legs are white with black rings above the hooves. Okapis are preyed upon by leopards (Panthera pardus). It serves as the flagship species (a popular species that has become a symbol for the conservation of a region) for the Ituri Forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Okapi, (Okapia johnstoni), cud-chewing hoofed mammal that is placed along with the giraffe in the family Giraffidae (order Artiodactyla). The IUCN classifies the okapi as endangered. Extensive hunting for bushmeatand skin and illegal mining have also led to population declin… The okapi is a shy, solitary, elusive animal that lives among dense cover and browses on leaves, fungi, and fruit.
Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Here the middle two (b and c) and the first and last (a and d) actions of the normal walking pattern occur together. Updates? Corrections?

Be on the lookout for your Britannica newsletter to get trusted stories delivered right to your inbox. The pronghorn (Antilocapridae), although sometimes called pronghorn antelope, is not a true antelope; it is the only survivor of a stock of ruminants that was very successful in the Neogene Period in North America…, …and the giraffe and the okapi always use this walking gait.