Okapi Flashcards
What are some other names for the okapi?
Forest giraffe, zebra giraffe
What is the closest relative of the okapi?
The giraffe
What year was the okapi brought to the attention of western scientists?
1901.
How many okapis remain in the wild?
10,000
What are some explanations for the leg markings of the okapi?
To allow them to camouflage, to allow young okapis to follow their mothers.
How long is the okapi’s tongue?
14 inches long.
How long and tall are okapis?
Up to 8 feet long and six feet high.
When are okapis active?
Primarily diurnal, but sometimes active at night,
What is the conservation status of the okapi?
Endangered.
Are okapis social?
No. They only come together to breed.
Why do okapis have such large ears?
They allow them to hear predators coming.
How do okapis court each other?
They circle, sniff, or lick each other.
What are the main threats to the okapi?
Habitat loss and poaching
Where are the scent glands of the okapi?
On the hooves.
True or false, a male okapi will protect his territory from all other okapis, including females.
False. He will allow females to pass through.
What is monosomy?
A condition in which one copy of a chromosome is missing.
What famous human condition is a result of a Robertsonian translocation?
Down syndrome.
True or false, okapis with monosomy produce healthy offspring.
True.
What is the specific condition of monosomy that afflicts some okapis in zoos?
Robertsonian translocation.
How do okapis repel water from their fur?
Their fur very velvety and covered in an oil.
What is the range and habitat of the okapi?
Montane rainforests in central Africa.
What do okapis eat?
Leaves, grasses, fruits, berries, fungi.
Why could a human not eat a similar diet to the okapi?
Many of the things okapis eat are poisonous to humans.
How do okapis fulfill their need for salts?
They eat clay from rivers.
