Okapi: Africa’s Unicorn

00:00:02
Speaker 1: Hi, I'm Rick Schwartz. Hi, I'm Abony Mone. Welcome to Amazing Wildlife, where we explore unique stories of wildlife from around the world and uncovered fascinating animal facts. This podcast is a production of I Heart Radio and San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance and international nonprofit conservation organization behind the San Diego Zoo and Safari Park. This next animal is sometimes referred to as the forest giraffe or Africa's unicorn. With their black and white stripes, people may compare o copies to zebras, but the O copy is the only living relative of the giraffe and not related to a zebra. Rick, though copy is an interesting animal with some unique features. There are they're black and white stripes around its hind and front legs. But it doesn't stop there. What are some other uniquely od copy physical characteristics. Oh, you're right, Ebony. Those black and white stripes are usually the first feature of the old copy that people will notice, But when they start to look closer, the next thing you usually notice is they're very large ears and these things can rotate independently, allowing the old copy to listen both in front and behind at the same time. And if the O copy is eating well, people will usually notice their twelve to fourteen inch long prehensile tongue. And for those you who have missed it in previous episodes, the word prehensile is a term we used to describe a grasping appendage. So, for example, some monkeys have prehensile tails, humans have prehensile hands. And yes, that means the copy can grasp things with its long tongue. And I remember I was listening. The giraffe has a prehensile tongue. That's correct, Glad you're listening. Yes, the old copy has an interesting look as well, um with its zebra like stripes on their back side. Like we've mentioned in the long prehensiled tongues. Do these physical characteristics serve a greater purpose? Oh? Yes, ebony. If there's anything I have learned about wildlife, everything about them serves a purpose, and sometimes that purpose is not immediately obvious, so it's up to us to observe and understand each species to find the answer. In the case of the old copies black and white striped legs, well, they can help break up the body outline as they travel through the dense forests of central Africa, and observations have been made that these stripes are also good follow me markers for a young calf to follow the mom. And as for that long prehensile tongue, well, like their relative the giraffe that you mentioned, the old copy uses it for grasping leaves, twigs, flowers, and even some fruits for food. But the old copy also has been observed using its tongue to clean its face, which I must admit is rather entertaining to watch. So are there any other telltale signs that the O Copy is related to the draft, either physical or behavioral. I think you're onto something here. Every because most people are surprised to hear that they are related to drafts, especially because they'll stripes, people automatically think zebras. But when we look at their head, well, we see several similarities to the draft, and honestly, the rest of the body is similar as well in the structure, aside from the lack of height and long neck that the Copy just doesn't quite have compared to the giraffe. But starting with the head, the shape of the skull is pretty much identical, with the copy school being a bit smaller than the draft skull. Now this includes the jaw, the dentition or tooth placement, and the teeth themselves as well. Oh and if for our listeners remember back to the episode I think it was episode nine, we talked about the drafts occones. Well, guess what copies have them too? And to be more precise, I guess it's fair to say the males have them, but the females do not. And if by any chance you missed our draft episode again, episode nine, go back and listen. I can tell you. Occones are are kind of like a hair covered horn, but not exactly so. Their conical shape meaning they are wider at the base and narrow at the top. They are a skin covered bone structure, and they're found on the heads of males and female giraffes, but like I mentioned, only on the males. When it comes to the old copy now, as cones are different though than formal horns or antlers because their unique development and permanent covering of skin or fur. Well, Rick, honestly, I hadn't heard much about the O copy before prepping for this episode. Is it a particularly rare animal? Oh? Yeah, I think that's that's fair to say. I mean, you know, it's not only rare that they're they're not easily found in the wild. But the only place in the world where you can find wild old copy is the dense tropical rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo. And these are truly dense, thick forests that even during the day, some areas are darkened due to the thick canopy of the forest and the bushy understory. They are also quite shy and elusive, with excellent hearing, so they can detect someone long before that person would ever see the old copy, giving the old copy plenty of time to quietly disappear into the forest. In fact, they are so good about not being seen they were not officially described by scientists until one and even then it took a while for people to truly believe such an animal existed. Rick, I guess when looking at them, it's hard to imagine that O copies would remain out of sight to scientists for so long. But now that you've explained it, it it makes sense because they have that great hearing and it tips them off when someone's coming. But it makes me wonder what about the sounds that they make. Wouldn't people hear them maybe making a noise, or are calling out to each other so they can locate one another, or or do they have any sort of calls like that. No, I'm so glad you asked, because copies do make noise, but we don't usually hear them very well. So although they make noise, especially calls between mothers and calf are common. There are three different kind of vocals theyations we usually can hear from the o copies. A quiet chuff, usually used as sort of a contact or location communication between two copies, a moan usually used for courtship, and a bleach which kind of sounds like a quiet goat call, if you will, and that's usually used by young old copies to quickly communicate with their mother. But here's what's really interesting, and if we're we're talking about a copy of sounds, this one is the coolest. Copies also communicate using an infrasonic or very low frequencies, so low in fact that humans and other animals cannot hear it. We can only register it on scientific recording equipment. Now, researchers have used special microphones and computers to pick up on these low frequency communications in the wild and in zoos. It is understood that these communications are most frequent between moms and the youngsters, allowing them to communicate undetected by other species. And why would you want to do that? Well, because the predator is they need to worry about the most. It's the leopard, a cunning hunter, and the O copy needs to be wary of it. And although leopards have much better hearing than you and I do, well, they can't even hear that infrasonic communications between your copy mother and her youngster. So, speaking of the O copy mom and her offspring, let's talk about the socio dynamic. What else do we know about the copies socio dynamic? Well, e any this will be the shortest answer of the episode. There's no social dynamic, well, at least not compared to many other animals we've talked about recently. O copies are solitary animals. The young will stay with mom until about a year of age, and then they head out on their own. Do they see each other again? Okay? Sorry despiting solitary animals, I understand the ocopy has another unique way of communicating, and I found this detail pretty amazing. Can you tell us about the ocopy's use of smell. Oh yes, evany, this is a pretty cool if you think about it. So, as we discussed, O copies are solitary aside from when the mother has a youngster with her, and they mostly traveled by themselves in these dense, deep dark forests. So when breeding season comes around, how do they find a mate? We'll get this. O copies have a scent planned on each foot that leaves behind a sticky, almost tar like substance wherever they have walked. This substance also has a unique signature scent for each individual O copy, allowing them to identify each other. It's kind of like leaving a business card or name tag every few feet as you walk. Oh I like that analogy that's pretty amazing to think about. So coming up, we're going to talk more about the most interesting facts about the O copy. Plus we'll find out what's being done to help the endangered species survive. But first this now it's time for the San Diego Zoom Innute, an opportunity for you to learn what's new at the zoo and safari park. The San Diego Zoosa Fireparks celebrates its fiftieth anniversary in the San Diego Zoosa Fire Park open to the public on May tenth, two and took what made the San Diego Zoo famous and expanded on it, rewriting what was thought to be possible in the realms of wildlife health and conservation. The eight hundred acres of land in the Santasqua Valley was a vision of what wildlife conservation could become. Following the nineteen sixty nine groundbreaking of the wild Animal Park, as it was named first, the executive director of the Zoological Society of San Diego, Dr. Schroeder, called it the zoo of the future. The sa Fire parks expanse of multi species habitats and revolutionary approach to wildlife management has contributed to the success and conservation for many species, from rhinos to condors and so much more. Did you know? The first wild photos of the O copy were taken by Zoological Society of London camera traps in two thousand and eight, reconfirming the presence of the copy in the very spot where the species was first described by Zoological Society of London over one hundred years earlier. Today we're talking about the O copy and right now we're welcoming senior wildlife care Specialists Jennifer Chapman to the conversation. Hi, Hi, thank you for having me, Thanks for being here. So your team is responsible for the care of the O copy, among other things. What does that entel well? Caring for a copy is something that requires a lot of patients, a lot of strength at times when you need to lift up lots of different piles that they might leave behind, and there are many of them. Being a prey species, they are an animal that can be very skittish and you need to be careful and quiet and respectful of their space. But also we have the opportunity to go into their space at times, and so we need to build on a good working relationship. And speaking of skittish, O copy are sometimes described as being shy forest dwellers. Does their tendency to avoid interaction complicate your job? It certainly can complicate things by them being elusive animals by nature, but fortunately within a care setting like at San Diego Zoo, we're able to provide an environment that will allow us to get closer to them and start to build up their confidence in the same space as their care specialists, especially when they're firstborn. We work with their moms. We separate the calfs from moms so that moms can eat and get a really good meal what they naturally would do while we are going in and preparing the calf for a lifetime of being with a care specialist. And when you say built their confidence, does it work? How do you know it's working? Their confidence is something that will be shown as they start to engage in our presence. They're approaching us, They're coming towards us, they're not going away. At first, they might just stare at us and do nothing, and that's okay. We will stay back and be respectful of their space. But once they start to get curious and we're not doing anything that's going to be aggressive or harmful or scary to them, then they start to get confident that we are okay to approach. In nature, the O copy live in the dense rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. What role does the copy serve regarding the ecosystem in that habitat? The role of the O copy within the ecosystem of the forests of the Democratic Republic of Congo is a very important one. They will eat such a variety of plants and flowers and fruits that they will help to create a diverse habitat by just pollinating throughout they will move from one flower to another. They will also deposit seeds and will be able to help replenish that rainforest that is such a vital place for so many species. And earlier in our conversation you refer to the coffee as being like a pre species. What prays on the O copy? Their main predator is the leopard, and the leopard will sit and wait for an O copy to come in the area. But what's really interesting about the O copy is that they have this oil that they secrete that is helpful for water proofing them. In a rainforest habitat, you need to stay as dry as possible, but when the leopard goes in for an attack, oftentimes those oils are very slippery, and in fact, on a camera trap video there was a mail O copy that had scars from a leopard along its backside and you could see the claw marks, but he clearly slipped right through his fingers. Portos. The O Copy Conservation Project works in the heart of the Democratic Republic of Congo to protect this endangered species. What can you tell us about this program, the O Copy Conservation Project works with local people especially to help them protect that environment, the habitats and the ocopy. The San Diego Zoo Wildlife Alliance helps as a contributor to that project, and currently what they're working on is agra forestry, so they are planting a lot more plants in the area and trees, and they are also really investing in the women of the region. They have such great ways of educating their offspring as well, right all the kids, the next generations coming up, So the women have a huge voice in that community and it's wonderful to be able to have this project works so closely with them to give them the voice to help protect the land that they live in, the animals that live in that land, and the region itself for future generations. And what's been the response from the community, Oh, the community seems to really be thriving with this new opportunity. You know, this project is helping to feed their families, helping to educate for the future, but also giving them a way to help honor this animal that is such an iconic species within their region. Awesome, And can you expand on that. You were mentioning that the O copy have such a prominent place culturally in that region. Um, can you talk to us more about that. Yeah, the people there understand that this is an animal that is only found where they live, and you've got to hold onto that. I mean, that's something to be really proud of and something that they have a picture of an occopy on their currency. They have a copy radio, they have O copy ocopy O copy, which is fantastic. However, many of the people have never even seen one in the wild there. That's how elusive these animals are. So one of the fun things that we do on this podcast is we go over some interesting facts about animals. Are you game, I'm game? So O Copy have been known to eat charcoal true or false? True? What's that about? Well, eating of the charcoal BioCopy is something that helps with making sure they have vitamins and minerals. We all need to get our vitamins minerals in. But also it can help aid in their stomach if they have any little maybe they eat some plants that has a little bit of toxicity to it, then that will help to relieve that stomach pain. And that is one of the facts that I found to be very interesting. But another that I found interesting is that the O copy calves have an interesting way of avoiding detection. Can you talk about some of the behaviors of the O copy offspring right after they're born ocopy calves. When they're firstborn, they have this natural tuck response. They want to tuck, they want to nest, and they stay in this nest for a couple of months. And in that time, their mom leaves for most of the day. She's out browsing, She's getting all the nutrients she needs to have that milk be as strong as possible for when she returns to the calf to feed. And then they don't leave anything behind. Those calves. They say they don't defecate, they don't urinate. I'm sure mom has a little bit a way of cleaning them up to make sure that there's no smell that any predators could detect. Wow, I thought that was pretty interesting. So those are the things that I found the most interesting when I was doing my little bit of research, but working directly with a copy um. Is there anything that particularly stands out to you, something that you tell people about when you're introducing the animal, anything about it that's unique or stands out to you. I think their eyes are the most unique. And I say that because they have a nictitating membrane that goes from front to back and there. I call it the shark eye. But they will suck their eye back in their head and their nictitating membrane comes right over and it looks very strange, but it serves such an important purpose. Thinking back to that prehensible tongue that they have, and they're reaching up into the trees, they're pulling down leaves. They have all of this debris that could be coming down, dust, dirt, branches, insects. You've got to protect those big beautiful eyes. So that's what they do that they just suck those eyes right back in and it looks strange, but it has a purpose. What a cool answer. I wasn't expecting it. So what is the best part about your position? Oh? The best part is that I get to see these o copy every single day and not only see them, but really study them and know their individual likes, their dislikes and no the best way for me to set them up for success every single day. So how does the work that is done by you and your team at the San Diego Zoo. How does that contribute to the overall conservation of the O copy? Any specialist that works with a copy, regardless of what facility they're in, we're doing such a huge part of a bigger picture, and we collaborate with facilities around the world. We collaborate directly with the Copy Conservation Project, and we are doing research and just studying their daily behaviors and trying to equate it back to what might be found in the wild. This is an animal that was just recently discovered. It was only nineteen o one by Western scientists, and so this animal really has not been studied enough to have a huge basis for what an O copy always does on a twenty four hour day. So we have the opportunity to see what they do in our facilities, share all that information and start to correlate it back to what they are seeing on these recordings that they're taking out in the wild. The very first O copy calf that was recorded on video in the wild didn't have a person there with them. There was the camera trap, but it was two thousand eighteen. To give you an idea, that's just so much research that's yet to be done. So we're just scratching the surface and it's so amazing to be part of that. Well, thank you so much. We've been talking to senior walife care specialist Jennifer Chapman. Thank you, thank you, thanks for listening. We hope you enjoyed learning about the O copy and be sure to subscribe and tune into next week's episode and which will bring you the story of an aquatic mammal that lays eggs. I'm Ebony Money and I'm Rich Schwartz. Thanks for listening. If you would like to find out more about San Diego Zoo Wild Left Alliance, please visit sdz w A dot org. Amazing Wildlife is a production of I Heart Radio. Our producer is Nikkia Swinton and our executive producer is Marcy to Peanut. Our audio engineer and editor is Sierra Spring. For more shows from my Heart Radio, check out the I Heart Radio app, Apple Podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.