#giraffidae

[inatungulates]

Namibian giraffe Giraffa giraffa angolensis

Observed by guyrufray, CC BY-NC

[mammalianmammals]

Giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), males engaged in "necking" - a n activity to establish dominance, family Giraffidae, Amboseli National Park, Kenya

photograph by Vicki Jauron

[snototter]

A giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) in the Okavengo Delta, Botswana

by flowcomm

[weepingwidar]

Fay Ku (Taiwanese, 1974) - Cornering Okapi (2008)

[critter-captures]

Okapi (Okapia johnstoni) (male, female, young), family Giraffidae

Like the closely related giraffes, okapis have a long black tongue, used to pluck up food, and while grooming.

Also like giraffes, okapis have ossicones: horn-like structures on the head. Unlike giraffes, however, only male okapis have ossicones.

Safaripark Beekse Bergen, taken July 2024

[roygattero]

Shansitherium skeleton

vector illustration, done with mouse and keyboard

I'm taking commissions!

[geometryyaoi]

okapis are cute

[morgansram]

Okapi

[natturuval]

Líf, lén, ríki, fylking, flokkur, ættbálkur, ætt, tegund, undirtegund.

Hér skoðum við gíraffann og hvernig hann er skilgreindur í vísindalega líffræði flokkunarkerfinu.

Náðu þér í hrikalega skemmtilegt og fróðlegt spil á natturuval.is

[inatungulates]

Reticulated giraffe Giraffa reticulata

Observed by joni_overbosch, CC BY-NC

[snototter]

A southern giraffe (Giraffa giraffa or Giraffa camelopardalis ssp angolensis) amongst the trees in the Okavango Delta, Botswana, Africa

by Fabrice Stoger

[mutant-distraction]

Okapi

The okapi (/oʊˈkɑːpiː/; Okapia johnstoni), also known as the forest giraffe, Congolese giraffe and zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal that is endemic to the northeast Democratic Republic of the Congo in central Africa. However, non-invasive genetic identification has suggested that a population has occurred south-west of the Congo River as well. It is the only species in the genus Okapia. Although the okapi has striped markings reminiscent of zebras, it is most closely related to the giraffe. The okapi and the giraffe are the only living members of the family Giraffidae.

The okapi stands about 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) tall at the shoulder and has a typical body length around 2.5 m (8 ft 2 in). Its weight ranges from 200 to 350 kg (440 to 770 lb). It has a long neck, and large, flexible ears. Its coat is a chocolate to reddish brown, much in contrast with the white horizontal stripes and rings on the legs, and white ankles. Male okapis have short, distinct horn-like protuberances on their heads called ossicones, less than 15 cm (5.9 in) in length. Females possess hair whorls, and ossicones are absent.

[hoofpeet]

Stupid question

And I know damm well I could just ask Google but I prefer to ask you

Are giraffes a species of equine?

Giraffes are in the giraffidae family ! They're more closely related to deer than horses

[rinusuarez]

The last member of the Giraffe family and to my eyes the most beautiful! I must say that when I saw it at the zoo the first time, it didn't strike me as much as now when I draw it. Is clearly the head of a giraffe in the body of a prehistoric animal adorned with the stripes of a zebra running down its legs. If you think of it, is like coming from a fantasy book. Okapi It is a living fossil and contrary to its closest relative, the giraffe, which is mostly found in the savannas, the okapis live in the dense forests of the Congo. It is very elusive and timid making it a really hard specimen to study in the wild. Therefore little is known about it. The poster of the Giraffidae family is coming soon! ___________________________________ Photo Credits: Magda Ehlers ___________________________________

Thank you for your support.

[thegreatallie]

Over at @kirame90's Patreon, not only do you get access to some truly delicious Team Fortress 2 Sniper/Spy content (Much of it of the 18+ variety :D) but also, every month all of the money raised goes to support various wonderful charities that are doing amazing work in the world. The charity for January 2024 is Okapi Conservation Project, who are not only doing amazing things to protect this endangered species, but also their entire habitat. So lately I've had okapis on the brain and this is how it came out.

I first learned about the Okapi when I worked at Walt Disney World in 2006 and saw them on the Kilimanjaro Safari, and ever since then, they've fascinated me. Some entry-level Okapi trivia for those unfamiliar with these fascinating animals:

They were discovered by the wider world in 1901

The okapi is the only living member of the family giraffidae besides the giraffe.

They're shy and reclusive by nature, and generally very solitary, preferring to only join others to mate.

They come from a region in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

An adult can reach speeds of 60 kilometers per hour.

In the wild, they live 20-30 years.

Their hearing range can pick up sounds too low for human hearing.

The pattern used for this lovely creature came from the book Edward's Menagerie: The New Collection, by Kerry Lord. Lord has published multiple books of patterns revolving around a standard "base form" and adjustments to turn that base into different animals or other creatures. Their animals also tend to come with names and backstories, however, I rejected the name "Bruno" and chose "Siri," which is Swahili for "secret" because according to my tour guide on Kilimanjaro Safaris, okapi are also known as the "ghosts of the forest." I chose Swahili because it's the only one of the recognized languages I have a passing familiarity with (aside from French, but that's not an indigenous language.)

[familiaralien]

Sometimes I think about if unicorns were real they probably wouldn't be relatives of horses but instead members of the giraffidae because:

a) Ye ol' unicorns art often portrayed them as having cloven hooves and/or a tail that's only fluffy towards its tip which are both traits seen on giraffes and okapis.

b) The whole giraffe family tree is wacky as hell with all sorts of weird head accessories. It would just be very appropriate for a mono horned hooved animal to belong to that family.

c) Giraffes have a weird protrusion coming out of the middle of their head. In theory a relative of there's could have just had a much longer one + short to nonexistent ossicones making it look like they have a single horn.