Okapis

Objectives:

• Students will be able to describe the physical characteristics of okapis.

• Students will be able to identify the behavioral characteristics of okapis.

Suggested Grades:

3rd Grade - 4th Grade - 5th Grade

Lesson Procedure:

Print the reading comprehension worksheet passage and questions (see below).

Students should read the passage silently, then answer the questions. Teachers may also use the text as part of a classroom lesson plan.

Lesson Excerpt:

Okapis are mammals native to central Africa. They have striped hindquarters and forelegs like a zebra's and a head that resembles a giraffe's. Okapis are related to giraffes. They have large, upright ears that allow them to hear the slightest sound so they can stay away from danger. In fact, okapis are so good at staying away from danger that they are rarely spotted in the wild. Scientists did not even know they existed until 1900!

Okapis have oily fur that allows the moisture and rain in their natural habitat to slide easily off of their hides so they can keep dry. Male okapis have short horns that are covered with skin. Though their stripes stand out when we see them in zoos, the okapi's natural habitat is a dense rain forest with sunlight that filters only partly through the trees. Because of this, okapis' stripes help to camouflage them.

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