ZOMG THE ZOO!!!!!!

We went to the zoo!!!! The Philadelphia Zoo!!!!

Best. Day. Ever.

I love zoos. So much.  Animals are just about the coolest thing ever invented.  Going to the zoo, I was happier than this llama

and more excited than this little dude is about these flowers

Especially when I found out the Philadelphia Zoo has one of the greatest animals ever created...the Okapi!!!!

The okapi is this awesome animal.  Describing an okapi much like that song from Pete's Dragon..."He has the head of a camel, the neck of a crocodile...It sounds rather strange..."  (It's So Easy).  Though it is most closely related to the giraffe, the okapi has the stripes of a zebra, the body of a horse, and the head of a giraffe.  Due to its awesome nature, I have chosen it as my object for this week. 

You talkin' bout me?!

Once again, this is the Okapi.  A fabulous animal from the forests of Democratic Republic of the Congo in Africa.  It is the giraffe's only living relative and lives a solitary life in the rain forest.

I may be biased, but the Okapi should be important to everyone in the entire world.  It may be of particular interest to those interested in giraffes as these are close relatives.  The okapi is also important to those wishing to learn about and to teach about conservation efforts in the Congo where they are threatened by habitat destruction and poaching.  (Of course, those with an interest in weird looking animals might also find the okapi to be important and interesting!)



The Philadelphia Zoo houses their okapi to teach the public about the importance of conservation.  Without protection, species like the okapi could become extinct.  For visitors of the zoo, being able to see animals that are threatened will form a connection that may inspire them to become active in conservation efforts.  Additionally, okapi live in dense rain forests and studying them in the wild is often difficult.  Being able to study okapi in captivity can be very helpful for the survival of the species.

At the Philadelphia Zoo, the okapi can be found next to the Red River Hog in a quiet section of the grounds.  It lives by itself, just as okapi are solitary in the wild.  Its enclosure includes grass without much other vegetation.  It is also far from most other African mammals and, aside from the hog in the next enclosure over, is actually quite far from any other animals.

There are two display panels that give information regarding this fabulous creature.  One gives basic information about the okapi (see above picture).  The other offers information regarding the lifestyle of the okapi.

Unfortunately, these signs do not offer much in depth information about the okapi.  The basic information is very short and does not give many details regarding the status of the species and how conservation efforts may be helping the okapi survive.

As stated before, the okapi is next to the Red River Hog.  The only similarity between the okapi and the hog are that they both live in Africa (the Red River Hog is found in most parts of Africa).  The hogs gather in large numbers and are nocturnal while the okapi are mostly solitary and are diurnal.  The Red River Hog is also of Least Concern in terms of conservation efforts while okapi are Threatened.  The Red River hog therefore does not offer much in terms of helping to understand the okapi.  Nor does the giant channel 6 news balloon or the empty field and stage.  I believe the okapi could benefit from some added surroundings that relate to animals in the African congo or species facing the same threats as the okapi.

A background in biology or in animals would greatly help one's understanding of the okapi.  The okapi has many unique features such as the long blue colored tongue like the giraffe and a velvety yet oily coat.  Knowing these facts would help any viewer appreciate the uniqueness of the okapi.  

I can't imagine anyone not being interested in this awesome animal but, if I had to choose a group, it would be people that have not heard of such a creature.  While glancing at a map, visitors may be more inclined to head towards the animals with which they are more familiar, such as lions or zebra.  The okapi also doesn't have the cute face that a leopard has or the quirky personality of a lemur or orangutan, which may lead to some visitors being less interested in the okapi. (Those visitors, however, would be very sad people!)


While used to promote conservation in this setting, the okapi could also be used to display advances in information and research.  Much of the information known about okapi has been only recently gathered.  They have been notoriously difficult to trace in the wild since they live in such a remote and dense environment.  Therefore, any information learned could be seen as an advancement in the field of research and science.



Other experiences could be created to help visitors understand more about the okapi.  One idea could involve flip panels that highlight the unique physical characteristics of the animal and how those adaptations help the okapi survive in its environment.  Additionally, a description of the other animals found in the rain forest with the okapi that are also threatened could be beneficial to the understanding of okapi.

I encourage you to learn all you can about the extraordinary animal.  I mean, come on, look how cool it is!!!

A newborn from the Denver Zoo http://www.zooborns.com/zooborns/okapi/

Learn more about the okapi from the Philadelphia Zoo here! (You can even adopt the zoo's okapi!)