The Thriller Of The Okapi’s Black Tongue

The Thriller Of The Okapi’s Black Tongue

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Closeup of an Okapi licking its face. Photo by Thorsten Spoerlein

I like to discover a very good ‘unusual truth’ in the case of the animal kingdom. The okapi — typically described as a cross between a zebra and a giraffe (with a brief neck) — is a kind of animals that would have simply featured within the misplaced of ‘10 Unusual Animals You In all probability Didn’t Know Existed‘. One of many okapi’s most uncommon options is its black tongue. On this visitor put up, David Crespo shares his concept on why the okapi’s tongue is that this uncommon color…

Why Do Okapis Have Black Tongues – Concept by David D Crespo

An okapi tongue, like a number of issues about this ‘unicorn of Africa’, is considerably of an enigma. 120 years since its discovery by the Western world and we nonetheless can’t absolutely clarify certainly one of its most famed options.

What Color is an Okapi’s Tongue?

An Okapi’s tongue is often black, though it might probably look blackish-blue or blackish-purple underneath sure lighting. That is similar to its closest residing relative: the giraffe. But folks have been considering why these two animals, which dwell in fully totally different habitats, would share the identical color shades of the tongue.

What Causes the Okapi’s Tongue Color?

The rationale for this unusual tongue color is a heightened quantity of melanin (although on this case, it’s particularly eumelanin), which is a broad time period for a bunch of pores and skin pigments.

What Does Melanin Do?

It’s these pigments that may create darker pores and skin, irises and even hair. Though they’ve many capabilities, a significant one is absorbing dangerous Ultraviolet/UV radiation. This protects pores and skin cells towards mobile harm from fixed and/or intense daylight publicity.

This safety extends to all types of UV mild together with UVA, UVB and UVC, in addition to blue mild. Melanin is produced by a specialised type of cell referred to as melanocytes. These are primarily discovered within the outermost layer of the pores and skin.

Upon contact, any of these UV varieties are swiftly and ruthlessly absorbed by the melanin earlier than they’ll hurt the delicate nucleus and subsequently DNA of the pores and skin cells. It’s necessary they do; if the radiation reaches the nucleus, mutated cells may very well be ‘born’ throughout cell division or mitosis. That is how pores and skin most cancers spreads.

Since giraffes are at all times out on the open savannahs, continuously exposing their tongues to the cruel African solar whereas feeding, the tongues have advanced greater portions of melanin. Apparently, the tone of each giraffe and okapi tongues is darker in direction of the tip than the again and on the topside in comparison with the underside.

What’s the reason for this association of melanin? These elements of the tongue are most vulnerable to UV radiation.

The place Do Okapis Dwell?

Although an okapi’s tongue is similar to a giraffe’s, the 2 dwell in very totally different environments. Okapis dwell beneath closely shaded canopies of tropical rainforests within the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) in Central Africa. Particularly, they reside within the Central, Jap and Northern of the nation, primarily throughout the Ituri Rainforest and the Maiko Nationwide Park.

As a result of dense, lush foliage of the emergency cover and the understory layers, solely about 1-5% of the each day daylight usually reaches floor stage. To the purpose the place it really takes longer to note it’s daytime (or if it’s raining) while you’re on the forest flooring than should you have been within the higher layers!

Because of this ground-dwelling animals within the rainforest nearly at all times dwell in a dimly-lit environment with sunshine being a scarce sighting. However then why do okapis nonetheless have tongues full of melanin similar to their giraffe cousins?

Why Does The Okapi Have A Black Tongue? (A Concept)

This may occasionally sound contradictory, however I consider okapis might need their blackened tongues for a similar motive as their family members – to forestall UV rays from damaging the pores and skin cells of the dermis. You would possibly surprise how they’ll discover such lighting with. The reply is mild gaps (also referred to as tree-fall gaps).

These giant holes within the cover are fashioned when one or a number of ‘emergent timber’ fall over, both due to outdated age, illness storms or parasites. These gaps enable mild to shine by means of the cover reaching right down to the forest flooring. And it simply so occurs the okapi’s feeding habits are completely suited to those mild gaps.

Okapi Feeding Habits

The falling of an emergent tree is a surprisingly frequent occasion within the rainforest and is normally the work of tropical thunderstorms. And with out large emergent timber hogging up all of the area and daylight, there are new alternatives for extra delicate, lower-growing vegetation to develop and flourish.

As an example, every time a light-weight hole is fashioned and the patch of floor under is emptied, it’s rapidly colonized by a number of species. All of that are quick growers however aren’t tailored for an extended lifespan.

Expansive clearings are additionally the place the vegetation will probably be much less more likely to have defensive variations. With all the additional area, solar, rain and nutrient-rich soil, these plant species can afford to place extra time, vitality and bodily assets to develop and regrow any elements eaten by hungry herbivores.

Out of these herbivores, the okapi might be probably the most prolific in the case of feasting on understory flora. And the tongue is a significant adaptation for the okapi’s feeding habits.

Once more like their giraffe cousins, okapis have tongues which might be actually lengthy and prehensile. This implies the tongues can really wrap round and seize issues, akin to an individual’s hand. So okapis can use them to delicately pull items of foliage off branches and the bottom.

They do that approach when feeding sparingly on the 100 or so plant species of their food regimen! Feeding solely sparingly so to keep away from ingesting an excessive amount of of anybody chemical or toxin that could be current within the vegetation devoured.

Together with the various brief, rapid-growing and light-dependent vegetation discovered within the light-gaps, okapis generally get pleasure from consuming charcoal, clay and bat droppings too. The rationale behind these uncommon cravings is as a result of they include the minerals and salts okapis require.

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5 thoughts on “The Thriller Of The Okapi’s Black Tongue

  1. I appreciate the detailed explanation of melanin and its role in protecting animals from UV radiation. The connection between the okapi and giraffe regarding tongue color is intriguing. More studies could provide even deeper insights into these species.

  2. This article provides a great overview of an often-overlooked animal. The feeding habits of okapis are particularly noteworthy, as they illustrate how specialized adaptations can aid survival in diverse environments like tropical rainforests.

  3. While the information presented is compelling, I wonder if there are alternative theories regarding the okapi’s tongue color. Scientific understanding evolves, so it would be interesting to see differing viewpoints on this subject.

  4. The article presents an interesting perspective on the okapi’s tongue color. It is fascinating to think about how adaptations occur in different environments. I wonder if further research will uncover more about this animal’s unique traits.

  5. The concept of light gaps in rainforests and their significance for the okapi is well articulated. It’s a reminder of how interconnected ecosystems are, and how species adapt to thrive within their specific habitats.

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