Thursday, July 25, 2019

Okapi

Like the saying goes "One has to see it to believe it" 
I had seen photographs of the Okapi earlier but always wondered if such an animal really existed. 




Last week I saw the Okapi at the Brookefield zoo in Chicago and was mesmerised by its beauty. 
The Okapi is native to the northeast of Congo in Central Africa and is classified as endangered. 
Okapi are elusive and they would like to keep it that way. Their lush coat is a soft and velvety wine-red colour that blends well with darker parts of the forest.The striped pattern on their rear resembles filtered sunlight on the forest floor. 


A new born Okapi refrains from pooping for the first 60 days of its life. Conservation scientists discovered that this was a normal survival skill to keep from being detected by dangerous predators.  


Though at first glance, one may feel they are more like the zebra, they are closely related to the giraffe. Among many similarities the Ossicone is the most prominent one. Only Giraffes and Okapi have Ossicones. These horn like protrusions are covered in skin and fur and are made of hardened or ossified cartilage that, in time, becomes permanently fused to the skull.  


Talking of Giraffes, most people refer to a group of Giraffes as a herd. But if you want to be specific, a group of Giraffes is known as a Tower.

30 comments:

Anvilcloud said...

I have never seen one.

Vicki Lane said...

What a beautiful creature!

Susan Flett Swiderski said...

Some animals, like the okapi, look like they were assembled from spare parts, don't they? Amazingly beautiful creatures!

A tower, huh? Thanks for teaching me something new. :)

Jeannette said...

Wonderful...this animal is all new to me. Thank you for sharing your trip to the zoo and your new friend!

Jenny Woolf said...

A strange looking creature indeed. I beleive the collective noun for tortoises is a "creep" but I never heard anyone use these things. "Herd" is always good enough for everyone it seems!

Anonymous said...

Thanks. Was not even aware of this - Sunny Varghese

juliefordoliver.blogspot.com said...

I grinned when I first saw it thinking it was a photo shop deal but I want to thank you for introducing me to the real deal!
Also I am now brilliantly informed about The Tower! Who knew! Can't wait to show off with that one.

Mary Kirkland said...

What an interesting looking animal.

This N That said...

Thanks for stopping by My blog today.. I have seen them in the zoo. Beautiful animals. .Enjoy your weekend

joeh said...

They were outside our window at Disney's Animal Kingdom.

Marie Smith said...

I’ve only seen them in the zoo.

Unknown said...

A very strange looking animal. This is something which added to my knowledge.

Jim and Sandie said...

What a beautiful animal. I sure hope they can save them from extinction. The world needs more beautiful animals.

g.k. murthy said...

Okapi i have seen in sanfransico natural park but always assumed it is a offshoot of zebra but gave less imporatnce to the centre projected horn.
Thanks for enlightening the okapi. i will still deeply study a si am also a noture lover. Thanks once again.
murthy g k.

Shoyeb Ahmed said...

First time I have seen okapi.

It's a new creature.

Enjoy your self.

Thanks for sharing.
Shoyeb Ahmed

Ygraine said...

WOW...this is amazing! I have never seen an Okapi before, nor even knew they existed. Such a beautiful animal, and so sad to hear they are endangered.
Oh thank you so much for this wonderful post!😊😊

Anonymous said...

Thanks Joe for the informative news about Okapi - Sheila Naidu

Anonymous said...

I have never seen one. Thanks for the info - Joshua Kanattu

KParthasarathi said...

Never heard of it.Thanks for the informative piece.

Anonymous said...

Seeing the animal for the first time - Janet Sibi

Liz A. said...

Interesting looking critter.

Unknown said...

Interesting information. Didn't knew of this animal.

Anonymous said...

Never even heard about Okapi, so thanks a lot to introduce it to me. - Rama Porwal

Anonymous said...

Interesting details Joe. Like their being related to the giraffe family than to the zebra, and the ossicones which I had not noticed before on the okapi.

You are having a grand time there I can see!

love to all of you out there, Vimala

Sandi said...

Ooh! Spectacular.

baili said...

dear friend want to thank you for kind visit on one of my previous post!

i loved your blog ,i will be visiting hopefully and regularly

this is Majestic animal :0
beautifully captured by you !

Romance Reader said...

I had never heard of this animal. Thanks for the information.

Bijoux said...

I've seen them at zoos, probably San Diego.

Marco Luijken said...

Okapi's are so nice. Wonderful pictures you show here.
Yesterday there was born an Okapi at the Zoo of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.

https://www.rijnmond.nl/nieuws/185656/Video-okapi-bevalt-van-dochtertje-in-Diergaarde-Blijdorp

Best regards,
Marco

Sami said...

Wow, lucky you! I've only seen it in pictures, but it's really a beautiful animal.