Okapi

 

Known as the “forest giraffe,” the okapi looks more like a cross between a deer and a zebra. Nevertheless, it’s the giraffe's only living relative. The okapi is native to the Ituri Rainforest in the Democratic Republic of Congo—the only place where it can be found in the wild—and has thick, oily fur to stay dry in the rain. It also has scent glands on the bottom of its hooves that help mark its territory. Except for the tips, the okapi’s short horns are covered in skin. While all males have horns, most females have knobby bumps instead.

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The okapi lives among dense flora in the rainforest. It can blend into its surroundings thanks to the brown and white stripes on its rump, which mimic the appearance of streaks of sunlight coming through the trees.

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Its plant-based diet consists of fruits, buds, leaves, twigs, and other vegetation. Just like the giraffe and cow, the okapi has four stomachs that aid with digesting tough plants. Also like its giraffe cousin, the okapi has a long, dark tongue that can strip leaves from branches. An okapi consumes between 45 and 60 pounds of food each day, including riverbed clay for minerals and salt. It will occasionally eat bat excrement for nutrients.

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Question: 

Is the Okapi an Endangered Species?

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