Science, Tech, Math › Animals & Nature Okapi Facts Scientific Name: Okapia johnstoni Share Flipboard Email Print Okapis have stripes like zebras, but are more closely related to giraffes. wizreist / Getty
Science, Tech, Math › Animals & Nature Okapi Facts Scientific Name: Okapia johnstoni Share Flipboard Email Print Okapis have stripes like zebras, but are more closely related to giraffes. wizreist / Getty Images Animals & Nature Mammals Amphibians Birds Habitat Profiles Reptiles Wildlife Conservation Insects Marine Life Forestry Dinosaurs Evolution View More Table of Contents Expand Description Habitat and Distribution Diet Behavior Reproduction and Offspring Conservation Status Threats Sources By Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Chemistry Expert Ph.D., Biomedical Sciences, University of Tennessee at Knoxville B.A., Physics and Mathematics, Hastings College Dr. Helmenstine holds a Ph.D. in biomedical sciences and is a science writer, educator, and consultant. She has taught science courses at the high school, college, and graduate levels. our editorial process Facebook Facebook Twitter Twitter Anne Marie Helmenstine, Ph.D. Updated September 10, 2019 The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) has stripes like a zebra, but it is actually a member of the family Giraffidae. It is most closely related to the giraffe. Like giraffes, okapis have long, black tongues, hair-covered horns called ossicones, and an unusual gait of stepping with front and back legs on one side at a time. However, okapis are smaller than giraffes and only the males have ossicones. Fast Facts: Okapi Scientific Name: Okapia johnstoniCommon Names: Okapi, forest giraffe, zebra giraffe, Congolese giraffeBasic Animal Group: MammalSize: 5 feet tall at the shoulderWeight: 440-770 poundsLifespan: 20-30 yearsDiet: HerbivoreHabitat: Democratic Republic of the CongoPopulation: Fewer than 10,000Conservation Status: Endangered Description The okapi stands about 4 feet 11 inches tall at the shoulder, is about 8 feet 2 inches long, and weighs between 440 and 770 pounds. It has big, flexible ears, a long neck, and white stripes and rings on its legs. The species exhibits sexual dimorphism. Females are a couple of inches taller than males, reddish-colored, and have whorls of hair on their heads. Males are chocolate brown and have hair-covered ossicones on their heads. Both males and females have gray faces and throats. Okapis have long tongues. Males have horn-like growths on their heads. Andra Boda / EyeEm / Getty Images Habitat and Distribution Okapis are native to canopy rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda. However, the species is now extinct in Uganda. Okapis may be found in forests at altitudes between 1,600 and 4,000 feet, but they will not remain in habitats near human settlements. Okapis live in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. U. Schröter / Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Diet Okapis are herbivores. They feed on rainforest understory foliage, including grasses, ferns, fungi, tree leaves, buds, and fruit. Okapis use their 18-inch tongues to browse for plants and groom themselves. Behavior Except for breeding, okapis are solitary animals. Females stay within small home ranges and share common defecation sites. Males continuously migrate throughout their large ranges, using urine to mark territory as they move. Okapis are most active during daylight hours, but may forage a few hours during darkness. Their eyes contain a large number of rod cells, giving them excellent night vision. Baby Okapi at San Diego Zoo Safari Park. Ken Bohn/San Diego Zoo Safari Park Reproduction and Offspring Mating may occur at any time of the year, but females only give birth every two years. Rut and estrous occur every 15 days. Males and females court each other by circling, licking, and smelling each other. Gestation lasts 440 to 450 days and results in a single calf. The calf can stand within 30 minutes of birth. Calves resemble their parents, but they have long manes and long white hairs within their stripes. The female hides her calf and nurses it infrequently. Calves might not defecate for the first couple of months following birth, presumably to help them hide from predators. The calves are weaned at 6 months of age. Females reach sexual maturity at