5028
Okapi
Africa
Original ZT
$1,800
Yes
No
Yes
|
|
||
|
5028 |
Okapi |
|
|
Africa |
||
|
Original ZT |
||
|
$1,800 |
||
|
Yes |
||
|
No |
||
|
Yes |
|
|
|||
|
The okapi is a shorter-necked relative of the giraffe, standing just 5 to 6 feet high. Okapis are found in the tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, which contains an Okapi Wildlife Reserve. About 5,000 of the estimated 30,000 living okapis are thought to dwell there, protected by the government. Okapis are found in the densest parts of the rainforest at middle elevations. They tend to frequent river banks and stream beds. Like the giraffe, the male okapi has two small, skin-covered horns. It has a striking appearance: a coat ranging from reddish-brown to almost black, with zebra-like stripes on its flanks and upper legs, white upper legs, and a creamy face. The okapi's coloring provides it with excellent camouflage in the forest. Its ability to hide itself, its shy and solitary nature, its relative scarcity, its nocturnal habit, its keen sense of smell and hearing, and its speed at making getaways-all combine to make the okapi a difficult animal to study in the wild. Discovered in 1901, this animal was the last large land animal to be found by Europeans. Okapis are still rare in zoos. Okapis are herbivores, feeding on grass, fruit, new growth, and leaves in the wild. Their zoo diet consists of hay, grain, and browse. The okapi's extremely long and sticky tongue not only enables it to easily strip leaves and twigs off branches, but also allows it to groom itself thoroughly. They can even reach their eyes and ears using their tongues! The okapi's clean habits are a big help to zookeepers: when an okapi needs medication, the keeper will pour it over the animal's back, and the okapi will immediately lick it off. Okapi are prone to parasitic infestation. Okapi spend most of their time grazing and chewing their cuds. Social grooming and play behavior seem to be common for both young and adults. Whereas the okapi's cousin, the giraffe, is almost mute, the okapi has a cow-like call. Young okapis will bleat for their mothers, and females in heat will bellow to attract males. Okapi are difficult animals to keep happy in captivity, due to their shy and solitary natures. Angry or unhappy animals will pace agitatedly while tossing their heads and pawing the ground. Okapis are solitary creatures. In the wild, okapi generally travel alone or in mother-offspring pairs. Adult okapis get together only to mate. In zoos, okapi are generally kept in male-female pairs, in the hope that they will reproduce. Okapis are very difficult animals to breed in captivity. An okapi mother bears a single calf, which is kept hidden for two weeks. Newborn okapis will spend a day or so following their mothers, and then find a hiding spot in which to make a nest. For the next two months, they will spend 80 percent of their time in this nest. By nursing relatively infrequently and not defecating during this period, the young okapi is less likely to be discovered by predators. A threatened calf will lie motionless in its nest, while its mother rushes aggressively to its defense. The okapi are prey for large hunting cats, such as leopards. An even bigger threat to the okapi is the one posed by human poaching and destruction of habitat.
|
|||
|
50 |
150 |
20 |
80 |
|
12 |
10 |
-10 |
No |
|
|
|||
|
To build a good animal exhibit you need to ask a few questions: (click them for the answers) |
||||||
|
Which fence is suitable for this animal in terms of strength, if it can be climbed or jumped over? |
||||||
|
How big should the exhibit be and what Terrain should be used? |
||||||
|
How deep should the exhibit be if using the "Pit Method"? |
1 level |
|||||
|
Stick Pole Fence |
$75 |
2 |
225 |
12 |
16.0 |
|
Stick Pole Window Fence |
$75 |
2 |
225 |
12 |
16.0 |
|
Chain-link Fence |
$70 |
2 |
200 |
10 |
14.3 |
|
Post and Rail Fence |
$90 |
2 |
250 |
12 |
13.3 |
|
Wood Slat Window Fence |
$110 |
2 |
240 |
12 |
10.9 |
|
Wooden Slat Fence |
$110 |
2 |
240 |
12 |
10.9 |
|
Rock Wall Fence |
$150 |
2 |
280 |
14 |
9.3 |
|
Rock Window Fence |
$150 |
2 |
280 |
14 |
9.3 |
|
Concrete Chain Fence |
$150 |
2 |
275 |
14 |
9.3 |
|
Plexiglas Fence |
$150 |
2 |
270 |
13 |
8.7 |
|
Iron Bar Fence |
$180 |
2 |
290 |
14 |
7.8 |
|
Concrete Fence |
$200 |
2 |
300 |
15 |
7.5 |
|
Reinforced Concrete Fence |
$225 |
3 |
460 |
16 |
7.1 |
|
Reinforced Concrete and Glass Fence |
$225 |
3 |
420 |
15 |
6.7 |
|
Concrete and Iron Bar Fence |
$240 |
3 |
440 |
15 |
6.3 |
|
Electrified Chain-link Fence |
$300 |
3 |
480 |
18 |
6.0 |
|
Electrified Iron Bar Fence |
$350 |
3 |
400 |
18 |
5.1 |
|
|
|||
|
Number of Animals/Exhibit |
|||||||||||
|
20 |
1 |
|
2 |
||||||||
|
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
||
|
Rainforest floor |
85 |
17 |
34 |
51 |
68 |
85 |
102 |
119 |
136 |
153 |
170 |
|
Grass |
8 |
2 |
3 |
5 |
6 |
8 |
10 |
11 |
13 |
14 |
16 |
|
Dirt |
5 |
1 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
9 |
10 |
|
Fresh water |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
3 |
4 |
4 |
|
1 |
1 |
2 |
2 |
3 |
4 |
5 |
6 |
6 |
7 |
8 |
|
|
20 |
4 |
8 |
12 |
16 |
20 |
24 |
28 |
32 |
36 |
40 |
|
| Elevation |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Exhibit Size |
100 |
20 |
40 |
60 |
80 |
100 |
120 |
140 |
160 |
180 |
200 |
|
|
|||
|
7049 |
12 |
Rainforest Bush |
60 |
$200 |
30.0 |
|
|
|||
|
9206 |
2 |
Small Rock |
1 |
1 |
Yes |
8 |
$55 |
14.5 |
|
9205 |
2 |
Medium Rock |
1 |
1 |
Yes |
8 |
$75 |
10.7 |
|
9200 |
2 |
Large Rock |
2 |
2 |
Yes |
2 |
$150 |
1.3 |
|
|
|||
|
8106 |
Large Lean-to |
25 |
15 |
$650 |
9 |
Yes |
|
8105 |
Lean-to |
20 |
10 |
$450 |
4 |
|
|
8112 |
Large Wood Shelter |
19 |
9 |
$325 |
6 |
Yes |
|
8111 |
Wood Shelter |
16 |
6 |
$225 |
4 |
|
|
8109 |
Large Concrete Shelter |
16 |
6 |
$225 |
6 |
Yes |
|
8104 |
Small Lean-to |
15 |
5 |
$250 |
2 |
|
|
8108 |
Concrete Shelter |
14 |
4 |
$175 |
4 |
|
|
8110 |
Small Wood Shelter |
13 |
3 |
$175 |
2 |
|
|
8107 |
Small Concrete Shelter |
12 |
2 |
$125 |
2 |
|
|
|
|||
|
|
none |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
Low |
12 |
||
|
ReproductionInterval(months): |
9 |
-10 |
|
|
97 |
10 |
||
|
1 |
TimeDeath(months): |
24 |
|
|
BabyToAdult(months): |
4 |
|
|
|
|
|||
|
0 |
Grass and branches |
||
|
0 |
none |
||
|
0 |
|||
|
0 |
|||
|
0 |
|||
|
0 |
|||
|
|
|||
