How the Okapi Spends Its Day
Posted at 8:52 am June 24, 2009 by Sarah Brzezinski
One of the most frequent comments heard at the okapi exhibit in the Wild Animal Park’s Heart of Africa habitat is “Hey, it’s a zebra-horse!” However, okapis are not very closely related to either zebras or horses; the unusual and eye-catching okapi is most closely related to the giraffe.
In the wild, the okapi lives in the lush Ituri rain forest in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As a result of the density of its habitat, and its shy behavior, the okapi has proven extremely difficult to study in the wild. In fact, Western scientists only discovered the okapi in the early 1900s, and there is still a lot we have to learn about the species.
My name is Sarah Brzezinski, and this summer I am extremely excited to be working as an intern in the Behavioral Biology Division of the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research to learn more about okapi behavior. I recently graduated from Dickinson College, where I majored in environmental science with a minor in biology. My past animal research includes monitoring green sea turtles and examining the distribution of gray whale cow-calf pairs compared to single individuals in Bahia Magdalena, off the coast of southern Baja California, Mexico.
For my research this summer, I will be examining the activity budget of the okapis that live at the Wild Animal Park: Ayana, Imara, Makini, and our one-year-old male, Zuri. My activity budget will allow me to compare the amount of time that our okapis spend performing specific behaviors, such as foraging or grooming. In addition, the activity budget will also help identify how frequently our okapis exhibit stereotypic behaviors. Stereotypic behaviors are repetitive activity patterns that do not have a clear goal or function in relation to the circumstances in which they are carried out, such as pacing or licking non-food objects.
I am also documenting how okapis are using their enclosure. By dividing the exhibit into sections and noting which part of the exhibit the individual is in at one-minute intervals, I can determine if some parts of the enclosure are more heavily visited than other areas. I will be recording behaviors and spatial data in the morning and afternoon, which will allow me to investigate if our okapis’ behavior and use of space changes much throughout the day.
Learning more about the behavior and enclosure use of okapis is important because an in-depth understanding of the species will allow us to enrich their lives in managed care and could provide some insight into the life of an elusive species. Come visit the okapi exhibit and see this amazing animal, and then check back later this summer to learn more about my research!
Sarah Brzezinski is the Neeper Summer Intern in the Behavioral Biology Division at the San Diego Zoo’s Institute for Conservation Research.
Read a previous post about okapis, Secret Language of the Okapi.
You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Scroll to the end to leave a comment. Pinging is not allowed.
June 24th, 2009 at 6:46 pm
Okapis are one of my favorite animals. I love to visit the Okapi at the Saint Louis Zoo. It is sad to see like many creatures though, mankind will probably drive this on extinct in the wild as well. Seems like we should be putting far more effort in saving wonderful animals like the Okapi.
July 2nd, 2009 at 7:53 pm
This is my first exposure to the okapi but he is cool! The more I learn about our world, the more I realize there is to learn. I hope the zoo can keep up their good work despite the economic problems the country is having. My last visit to the San Diego Zoo was memorable but the next time I get there I’ll be sure & visit the okapi.
July 4th, 2009 at 11:03 am
Neat blog! I think your research area sounds really interesting. I wonder if the location that the okapi use most in their exhibit has any relationship to where the visitors congregate? I can’t wait to read more about this.
July 4th, 2009 at 4:06 pm
I’m not sure I could have told you what an Okapi looked like before reading this. However, my first thought on seeing one is that it reminds me of the main character in Bill Peet’s classic children’s book, “The Whingdingdilly.” I guess I learned something new today.
July 6th, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Wow! I did not know what an Okapi looked like before reading this. Can’t wait to read and find out more about this animal!
July 7th, 2009 at 10:44 am
Hi Sarah, this is really interesting. I’m so glad I found it. You are truly lucky to have such a great experience this summer. I have bookmarked your page and am looking forward to reading more about your adventures!
July 10th, 2009 at 3:28 pm
Hello everyone,
Thanks so much for reading the blog and leaving your comments. Thankfully, okapis are not currently classified as endangered. They are listed as Near Threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), which means that the species in not currently considered to be threatened (Vulnerable, Endangered, or Critically Endangered), but is close to meeting the established criteria, or may meet the criteria in the near future. As of 2008, it was estimated that there were between 10,000 to 35,000 animals and that their populations were stable in protected areas. In the wild, their greatest threat is habitat loss resulting from logging and human settlements. Bushmeat hunting, political unrest, and economic development pressures are also threats.
Overall I have noticed that our okapis spend the most time in the corner of their exhibit that is closest to the vulture enclosure. This section of the exhibit is actually in closer proximity to visitors than most of the others. It is also one of the more shady areas, which may be one of the main reasons why they are favoring it. If you check back in for my next few posts, I will hopefully have a bit more information on how okapis at the Wild Animal Park are using their exhibit and what they are doing throughout the day.
Thanks again for your interest in my research! I enjoy reading your comments so please keep them coming.
July 18th, 2009 at 1:25 am
The Okapi is my favorite animal and the first time I saw one was at the San Diego Zoo! They are such interesting and unqiue animals and I think that is why I am so interested in them. They have since been the source of attraction to keep returning to the Zoo and Wild Animal Park! I can’t wait until our famiy can visit again! Aloha!