Okapi

Okapi ( Okapia johnstoni )

The Okapi ( Okapia johnstoni ) is an even-toed ungulate in the family of giraffe -like. Closer to the giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis) as related to other even-toed ungulates, it resembles in its body proportions are more typical ungulates than the giraffe. It is characterized by its contrasting coloring from brown, black and white, as well as the relatively long neck. The okapi lives in the rainforest in Central Africa and is classified by the IUCN as endangered ( endangered ).

The Okapi is one of the last large mammals that have been discovered by Europeans (1901 ). As a very shy inhabitants of the rain forest, it is only partially explored.

Features

Okapi can reach a length of 2.5 m, a shoulder height of 1.5 m and a weight of 250 kg on average. Females are slightly larger than males. The males have two on the forehead up to 15 cm long, hairy and blunt horns. The females lack these horns, or they are formed only rudimentary. Anatomically similar okapi the basic blueprint of Giraffidae, so they share, for example, the comparatively long neck and a long tongue with the giraffe.

The external appearance of the okapi is unmistakable. The ground color is reddish- brown to almost black. This contrasts with white cheeks, a white throat, the white lower parts of the legs and the white-black striped top halves of the legs. The dark (blue ), up to 25 cm extendable tongue can also be used in addition to the food intake to clean eyes, nostrils or the rest of the body.

Distribution and habitat

The presence of the okapi is limited to equatorial rainforests in the north, center and east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Cardinal habitat is the Ituri rain forest with the situated therein him Okapi Wildlife Reserve. 2006 Okapispuren first time since 1959, seen again in the Virunga National Park, in 2008 reach first camera to image living there okapi.

Okapi are generally not below 500 m above sea level before and therefore missing in the swamp forests in the west of the country. In the east, the distribution area is limited by montane forest, savannah and in the north by the south by open forests. Okapi are most common between 500 and 1000 m altitude, but in exceptional circumstances up to 1450 m altitude before. Okapi occur in densities of 0.1-1.2 ( average 0.45) copies per km ².

Way of life

General

The Okapi is primarily diurnal, occasionally it is also observed in the night. Okapi are loners and were rarely observed as pairs or in small groups. Males move within a home range of about 10.5 km ² and put back daily for about 4 km; Females and younger animals are less active and only occupy smaller home ranges. The males mark their home ranges apparently with urine, more accurate insights into social behavior are not available, however.

Nutrition

Search Okapi on the run-in, regularly used paths for food. Okapi feed mainly on the leaves of more than 100 species of rainforest plants. They tear the leaves normally starting with its long, wide tongue capable of branches. Be avoided monocots, most frequent plants of the undergrowth and young plants of trees grown form the rain forest roof.

Reproduction and Development

The propagation of the okapi is not bound to any particular season. The estrus of the female usually takes about 15 days. The males find the females apparently olfactory stimuli. The female gives birth after 414-493 days gestation period, a single young is born; it has a shoulder height of 72-83 cm at birth and weigh 14-30 kg. The hatchlings are about half an hour after birth. After 1-2 days follow the mother, they are looking for a place to hide and stay there during the next 2 months. They are very active meanwhile, remain in the vicinity of the hiding place and be suckled by the mother and defended with kicks. After 3 weeks they can eat solid food. The young are weaned at about 6 months and usually are fully grown at 3 years. Sexual maturity occurred in females in captivity already with 1 year and 7 months.

Natural enemies and life expectancy

The most important natural enemy of the okapi is the leopard (Panthera pardus ). In captivity, okapi are usually 15-20 years old, has no information on life expectancy from nature before. The record in captivity amounts to 33 years.

System

Together with the giraffe is the okapi one of the two extant representatives of the giraffe -like ( Giraffidae ). We distinguish between no subspecies.

Inventory, vulnerability and conservation breeding

The stock of wild okapi is estimated at 10,000-50,000 copies. Reliable population figures are not available and the actual number could be much lower. Currently, the populations studied are on the wane. The main populations of the okapi focus mostly on protected areas, such as the Okapi Wildlife Reserve and Maiko National Park. These two protection areas contain the most important populations today. A few animals also live in the north of the Virunga National Park. The IUCN now leads the okapi as endangered ( endangered ), since it occurs only in a very small area and is threatened by habitat destruction and illegal snares has suffered heavy stock losses. The Okapi is hunted by the local people mainly because of its flesh and its skin.

For the okapi has existed since its foundation in 1985, a European Endangered Species Programme (EEP ) under the European Zooverbands. Worldwide lived in November 2010 119 copies in scientifically managed zoos, 57 of them in Europe. EEP coordinator Sander Hofman in the Antwerp Zoo.

In July 2012, the Okapi station Epulu the Ituri rainforest was attacked and destroyed by rebels. Six people, mostly Ranger, and 13 of the 14 held there okapi were killed and the station destroyed by fire. The EEP coordinator Hofmann from Antwerp has asked all okapi holding zoos to offer additional support in order to develop the research station can.