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shawn529 — Okapi

Published: 2006-10-21 04:57:51 +0000 UTC; Views: 7176; Favourites: 119; Downloads: 326
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Description I was going through my memory cards to clean them out before my visit to the zoo tomorrow and came across this one. It's an Okapi. This was taken May 2004.


*Edit*

Taken from the San Antonio Zoo Sign:

"The Elusive Okapi - Okapia johnstoni

Found only in the Ituri Forest of Central Africa, okapi are
endangered and rarely seen, wester scientists did not even
know they existed until 1901.


Now You See It,
Now you Don't


Why the striped rump? In their
dense forest home, the okapi's
stripes help them blend into the
shadows and escape danger.


Hidden Treasure

Shelered from danger in a nest of
leaves, the young okai calf will spend
its first two months lying still, nursing
little and giving off no waste. By
doing this, the young goes undetected
by predators such as the leopard.


Mystery Solved

Looks can be confusing, In the early
1900s some wondered if the okapi was a
cross between several animals because
the rear looked like a zebra and the head
was like a giraffe. Today we know the
okapi is a relative of the giraffe.

A Living Lesson

Because of their secretive and
solitary life in the wild, most of
man's scientific knowledge of okapi
behavior comes from observations
of okapi in zoos today.


Got You Licked!

Can you clean your ears with your
tongue? The okapi can! It's tongue
is over 12 inches long and is great
for stripping leaves from trees and
groomin its eyes and ears.

The okapi's tongue is 12-16 inches long!"
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Comments: 16

Lady-Lumiya [2015-04-19 13:46:17 +0000 UTC]

I love okapi's. i remember the first time i saw one was at a zoo and i was 14, i was so impressed i bought a small stuffed toy okapi at the souvenir shop later and i still sleep with it on my bed xD

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ooBLACKNIGHTINGALEoo [2014-05-31 11:18:24 +0000 UTC]

can i use it as reference?
i would credit you of course

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Zanora-zara [2012-02-04 18:30:33 +0000 UTC]

Thank you for posting this!!!!

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XxSaralenaxX [2012-02-04 04:45:03 +0000 UTC]

They're so cool! Look half zebra and half giraffe!

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smudge-92 [2011-02-21 04:11:42 +0000 UTC]

Featured Here - [link]

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shawn529 In reply to smudge-92 [2011-10-14 04:40:05 +0000 UTC]

thank you

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smudge-92 In reply to shawn529 [2011-10-14 06:04:01 +0000 UTC]

Late you reply, but you're welcome

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Cataclysm-X [2010-11-19 19:13:15 +0000 UTC]

they're my favourites Okapi's are such beautiful animals
great shot!

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shawn529 In reply to Cataclysm-X [2011-10-14 04:40:19 +0000 UTC]

they are cool

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SnoodleDoodle [2008-08-01 19:34:21 +0000 UTC]

I love these animals! You did a great job photography wise..Hey would it be okay if i used this for reference on them?

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shawn529 In reply to SnoodleDoodle [2015-04-07 10:43:16 +0000 UTC]

Yes you may use this as a reference.

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UnbrokenKarma [2007-09-04 02:03:32 +0000 UTC]

Okapi love

Great capture, too.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

shawn529 In reply to UnbrokenKarma [2007-09-24 20:31:28 +0000 UTC]

thank you

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BlackOkapi [2007-08-27 14:02:47 +0000 UTC]

It doesn't say in that info-bit that the okapi is a mix between a zebra & a giraffe - it just says that people used to speculate about this & it was a popular assumption in the early days of its discovery before it was confirmed that it is a relative of the giraffe.

No other animal captivates me as much as this creature, it's like no other animal on earth & just got a beauty in its uniqueness.

👍: 0 ⏩: 1

shawn529 In reply to BlackOkapi [2007-08-28 01:57:49 +0000 UTC]

I had put that on there, then after that comment removed it. That's the reason I quoted the zoo sign. Thanks for your support and comments.

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GuniveerStudios [2007-08-19 00:45:23 +0000 UTC]

Ummm... An Okapi is NOT a mix between a zebra and a giraffe. Okapis are their own species and are not a mix between anything. They are however related to giraffes.

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