What do okapis like to eat

The Okapi Okapia johnstoni is one of the most unique animals on the face of the planet. This uniqueness is also found in their dietary habits and their food source. The Okapi are found in the rainforests of the central Congo, so their diet is entirely based upon the foliage that can be found in the forest. The Okapi is unique in the fact that it is strictly an herbivore with a strictly foliage based diet Hart, The Okapi will only dine on the leaves of lower level plants around the Congo.

It will rarely, if ever, eat things such as berries, twigs, and bark in the wild. But, if in captivity, the Okapi can be fed grains along with leaves to supplement their diet Okapi Fact Sheet, The okapi, a solitary animal, will wander around its habitat feeding from the leaves of over one hundred different species of trees and shrubs Hart, !

The reason that the okapi does this is to reduce the amount of a specific toxin it is ingesting. Many plants in the Congo produce toxins to discourage herbivores from eating their leaves Hart, If too much of one kind of leaf is ingested, the toxin levels would build up and the animal could possibly die. The okapi avoids all of this, simply because it eats very little amounts of many different kinds of plants. On a typical day the okapi will ingest about four to five kilograms of leaves Okapi Fact Sheet, One may think that this makes the okapi a very diverse feeder, which is true to an extent, but the okapi are also very picky eaters.

Prefer to browse in small forest openings where fallen trees allow growth of light-dependent plants; prefer fast-growing tree seedlings, shrubs and vines Okapi plants are only a temporary resource, scattered widely across the forests; most plants are not acceptable forage Do not choose shade-tolerant shrubs and select only a small proportion of all the plants available.

Feeding Like giraffes, okapis use long, prehensile tongue to pull leaves off branches; a slender muzzle and flexible lips also help with choosing the "right" plants.

Also ingest clay for its minerals, burnt charcoal, and bat guano found in hollow trees. Digestive system similar to other browsing ruminants.

As in giraffes, gall bladder not present. The okapi baby is weaned usually at months. However, the baby may stay with the mother even for two or three years. Usually, the okapis are quiet by nature, but can make sounds.

Since okapis live in secluded rainforests, they have a lesser number of predators. However, the most common natural predator of okapi is the leopard. Leopards attack both the adult and the young okapis, although, the latter are more vulnerable.

The serval is also an enemy to these timid herbivores. Humans too pose threat to the okapis. The okapi population is low. Your email address will not be published. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Okapi Photos. Okapi Tongue. Okapi Habitat. Okapi Eating. Baby Okapi. Okapi Baby. Okapi Predators. Okapi Images. Okapi Pictures. Related Articles Comments Arctic Wolf. Pink Fairy Armadillo. Red Wolf. Yahir says:. February 6, at pm.

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