Unique Relatives of Seven Famous Animals!

Unique Relatives of Seven Famous Animals!

A compilation of seven unique animals that are seldom mentioned, and always outshone by their more famous, closest relatives. Have fun knowing them.

Okapi

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The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) is an unusual animal living in high altitudes in the rain forests of Congo, in central Africa. It was only discovered by scientists in 1901. With white-and-black stripes on its legs, it was first thought to be some kind of a rainforest zebra or a forest-dwelling horse. However, okapi is not related to a zebra but guess what… it is the only living relative of the giraffe!

Just like the giraffe, the okapi has big, upright ears, and a long dark tongue that comes in handy in grooming and stripping fruits, branches, buds and young leaves from trees. It has chocolate-brown body coat with tan-colored chest. Though shorter than giraffe, adults stand up to 1.5 m tall at the shoulder, a body length of about 2.5 m and weigh between 200 to 300 kilograms (440 to 660 lb). Adult males own hair-covered horns that could grow up to 15 cm long. Females are slighter taller than males and have lighter body color. Okapis have a life span of about 20 to 30 years.

Pygmy Hippopotamus

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I guess many of us know about the large and muscular hippopotamus, but do you know that it has a less popular but unique relative? Yes, and it is the Pygmy hippopotamus! It is a “never-heard” animal until the early part of the 19th century. A copycat of the much larger hippo, the pygmy hippopotamus (Choeropsis liberiensis) lives in swampy forests of Western Africa.

In physical stature, pygmy hippo resembles its larger relative, the Nile Hippopotamus. Though half the size as compared to its relative, adult on average stand 75-83 cm at the shoulder, between 150-177 cm in body length and weigh between 180-275 kg. Unlike Nile hippopotamus, pygmy hippo has smaller pig-liked head and its eyes are situated more to the sides. It has short tail with branched hairs. The skin is smooth resembling that of a common hippo; having a brown or greenish black coat and pinkish cheeks.  

Unlike its larger relative, the pygmy hippopotamus are more terrestrial, looking for food on higher, drier ground. A nocturnal and herbivorous animal, the pygmy hippo comes out from the water at dusk to find food. Its diet includes:  ferns, young shoots, roots, grasses, leaves, fruits and water plants it finds in the forests. Pygmy hippos can live up to 42 years.