Which mammal is the nearest relative of the giraffe, and is only found in the Democratic Republic of Congo?
"both mountain and lowland gorillas in wild, meet pygmies still practising their traditional way of life in the forests, spot bonobos and okapi—two rare species not found anywhere else on earth, and climb to the summits of active volcanoes and see a boiling lava lake in the crater of Mount Nyiragongo. The DRC has experienced frequent unrest in the eastern part of the country. Primate trips are cheaper in the DRC than in neighboring Rwanda or Uganda. Tourism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Tourism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is uncommon. Tourists can see wildlife, indigenous"
"Okapi The okapi (; ""Okapia johnstoni""), also known as the forest giraffe, congolese giraffe or zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal native to the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. Although the okapi bears 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 tall at the shoulder and has an average body length around . Its weight ranges from . It has a long neck, and large, flexible ears. Its coat is a"
"Tokyo and Zoorasia in Yokohama. Okapi The okapi (; ""Okapia johnstoni""), also known as the forest giraffe, congolese giraffe or zebra giraffe, is an artiodactyl mammal native to the northeast of the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Central Africa. Although the okapi bears 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 tall at the shoulder and has an average body length around . Its weight ranges from . It has a long neck, and large, flexible"
"Giraffidae The Giraffidae are a family of ruminant artiodactyl mammals that share a common ancestor with cervids and bovids. This family, once a diverse group spread throughout Eurasia and Africa, presently comprises only two extant genera, the giraffe (one species of ""Giraffa"") and the okapi (the only known species of ""Okapia""). Both are confined to sub-Saharan Africa: the giraffe to the open savannas, and the okapi to the dense rainforest of the Congo. The two genera look very different on first sight, but share a number of common features, including a long, dark-coloured tongue, lobed canine teeth, and horns covered"
"habitats of animals. A case that has particularly alarmed conservationists is that of primates. The Congo is inhabited not only by two distinct species of chimpanzee - the common chimpanzee (""Pan troglodytes"") and the bonobo (""Pan paniscus"") - but by the gorilla as well. It is the only country in the world in which bonobo are found in the wild. The two species of chimpanzees, along with gorillas, are the closest living evolutionary relatives to people. Much concern has been raised about great ape extinction. Because of hunting and habitat destruction, the chimpanzee and the gorilla, both of whose population"
"Central Congolian lowland forests The Central Congolese lowland forests are an ecoregion within the Democratic Republic of the Congo. This is a remote, inaccessible area of low-lying dense wet forest, undergrowth and swamp in the Cuvette Centrale region of the Congo Basin south of the arc of the River Congo. The region has been insufficiently researched by zoologists but is known to be home to antelopes, forest elephants, and several primates, including the rare bonobo (""Pan paniscus""), De Brazza's monkey, crested mangabey and the lowland gorilla. There is only one known strictly endemic mammal, the Dryas monkey (""Cercopithecus dryas""). Other"
"near-endemic mammals include the golden-bellied mangabey (""Cercocebus chrysogaster""), bonobo (""Pan paniscus"", EN), okapi (""Okapia johnstoni""), Allen's swamp monkey (""Allenopithecus nigroviridis""), Angolan kusimanse (""Crossarchus ansorgei""), Thollon's red colobus (""Procolobus tholloni"") and Wolf's mona monkey (""Cercopithecus wolfi""). There are two birds that are near-endemic in the region the Congo peafowl (""Afropavo congensis"", VU) and the yellow-legged weaver (""Malimbus flavipes""). The forest remains largely unspoilt as human population is limited to small communities who hunt and fish along the many rivers that cross this remote, swampy region. However many animals are vulnerable to poaching, and their movements are restricted by the network of"
"The bonobo is found in a area of the Congo Basin in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Central Africa. The species is omnivorous and inhabits primary and secondary forests, including seasonally inundated swamp forests. Political instability in the region and the timidity of bonobos has meant there has been relatively little field work done observing the species in its natural habitat. Along with the common chimpanzee, the bonobo is the closest extant relative to humans. Because the two species are not proficient swimmers, the formation of the Congo River 1.5–2 million years ago possibly led to the speciation of"
"park's savannah grasslands support a low density of acacias. Some of the Garamba's grasses can grow as high as . Garamba is home to a variety of faunal species, including various species of antelope, as well as buffalo, elephants, hyenas, giant forest hogs, giraffes, hippopotamus, and lions. The park hosts the Democratic Republic of Congo's only remaining population of giraffes, the Kordofan subspecies, which is estimated to number less than 50 individuals; and one of the country's largest remaining populations of elephants. 138 mammals species and 286 bird species, including the secretarybird, have been recorded in the park. Garamba's elephants"
"patterned coats acting as camouflage; and a back sloping towards the rear. The okapi's neck is long compared to most ruminants, but not nearly so long as the giraffe's. Male giraffes are the tallest of all mammals, their horns reach above the ground and their shoulder , whereas the okapi has a shoulder height of . The two extant genera are now confined to Sub-Saharan Africa. The okapi is restricted to a small range in the northern rainforest of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Although the range of the giraffe is considerably larger, it once covered an area twice the"
"Giraffe The giraffe (""Giraffa"") is a genus of African even-toed ungulate mammals, the tallest living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants. The genus currently consists of one species, ""Giraffa camelopardalis"", the type species. Seven other species are extinct, prehistoric species known from fossils. Taxonomic classifications of one to eight extant giraffe species have been described, based upon research into the mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, as well as morphological measurements of ""Giraffa,"" but the IUCN currently recognises only one species with nine subspecies. The giraffe's chief distinguishing characteristics are its extremely long neck and legs, its horn-like ossicones, and its distinctive"
"name is a reference to Kordofan in Sudan. There are around 2,000 individuals living in the wild. ""The Christian Science Monitor"" lists only 38 individuals being alive in the embattled Garamba National Park in The Democratic Republic of Congo due to poaching; their skin is used for luxury goods and they are said to produce enough meat to feed poachers for weeks . Recent genetic studies also shows distinct genetic populations of giraffe that makes conservation of these subspecies even more important. Kordofan giraffe The Kordofan giraffe (""Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum"") is a subspecies of giraffe found in northern Cameroon, southern"
"rainforest giraffe and Congolese endemic, occurs only on the west bank of the Lomami. This finding raises questions about the historic range of the species since the Okapi is known also on the east bank of Lualaba River but not between the Lomami and Lualaba. In the south, the dryas monkey is so far (2016) known only from Maniema Province and on the right bank of the Lomami River. Before this discovery, the species distribution was thought to be limited to a small area in Equateur Province, 400 km to the northwest. Significant agglomerations of grey parrots, a target species"
"1999, it was estimated that over 140,000 giraffes existed in the wild, estimations as of 2016 indicate that there are approximately 97,500 members of ""Giraffa"" in the wild, down from 155,000 in 1985. , there were more than 1,600 in captivity at Species360-registered zoos (not including non-Species360 zoos or any kept by private people). Giraffe The giraffe (""Giraffa"") is a genus of African even-toed ungulate mammals, the tallest living terrestrial animals and the largest ruminants. The genus currently consists of one species, ""Giraffa camelopardalis"", the type species. Seven other species are extinct, prehistoric species known from fossils. Taxonomic classifications of"
"Gorilla Gorillas are ground-dwelling, predominantly herbivorous apes that inhabit the forests of central Sub-Saharan Africa. The genus ""Gorilla"" is divided into two species: the eastern gorillas and the western gorillas (both critically endangered), and either four or five subspecies. They are the largest living primates. The DNA of gorillas is highly similar to that of humans, from 95 to 99% depending on what is included, and they are the next closest living relatives to humans after the chimpanzees and bonobos. Gorillas' natural habitats cover tropical or subtropical forests in Sub-Saharan Africa. Although their range covers a small percentage of Sub-Saharan"
"to logging and other human activity, and the lack of information and knowledge of this species makes them more susceptible to dangers. The community-managed Kokolopori Reserve in the north-eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo was initially considered a key to its survival and the only conservation efforts for the species. A second population, about from the first and partially protected by the Lomami National Park, was discovered in 2014. Dryas monkey The Dryas monkey (""Cercopithecus dryas""), also known as Salonga monkey or ekele, is a little-known species of guenon found only in the Congo Basin, restricted to the left bank"
"Dryas monkey The Dryas monkey (""Cercopithecus dryas""), also known as Salonga monkey or ekele, is a little-known species of guenon found only in the Congo Basin, restricted to the left bank of the Congo River. It is now established that the animals that had been classified as ""Cercopithecus salongo"" (the common name being Zaire Diana monkey) were in fact Dryas monkeys. Some older sources treat the Dryas monkey as a subspecies of the Diana monkey and classify it as ""C. diana dryas"", but it is geographically isolated from any known Diana monkey population. While the Dryas monkey had been considered"
"present size — all parts of Africa that could offer an arid and dry landscape furnished with trees. The social structure and behavior is markedly different in okapis and giraffes, but although little is known of the okapi's behavior in the wild, a few things are known to be present in both species: FAMILY GIRAFFIDAE Giraffidae The Giraffidae are a family of ruminant artiodactyl mammals that share a common ancestor with cervids and bovids. This family, once a diverse group spread throughout Eurasia and Africa, presently comprises only two extant genera, the giraffe (one species of ""Giraffa"") and the okapi"
"Brazzaville Zoo The Brazzaville Zoo is a zoo located in Brazzaville, Republic of the Congo. It has been in existence since at least 1944, as this is the most widely accepted date of assembly. They are known to be a very unsanitary zoo, and have extremely low animal rights ratings, although this is all too common across zoos in Africa. They house a number of species including crocodiles, deers, bongos, foxes, and numerous primates including chimpanzees. During the Congolese Civil War, many animals were evacuated from the zoo to numerous zoos, sanctuaries, and preserves across Central Africa. Gregoire the chimpanzee"
"the sooty mangabey, monkeys in Guinea-Bissau. Central chimpanzee The central chimpanzee or tschego (""Pan troglodytes troglodytes"") is a subspecies of the common chimpanzee (one of the closest living relatives to humans, along with the bonobo). It occurs mainly in Gabon, Cameroon, and the Republic of the Congo, but also, to a lesser extent, in other regions. ""Pan"" is derived from the Greek god of fields, groves, and wooded glens, Pan. ""Troglodytes"" is Greek for 'cave-dweller', and was coined by Johann Friedrich Blumenbach in his ""Handbuch der Naturgeschichte"" (""Handbook of Natural History"") published in 1779. The central chimpanzee occurs in Central"
"the Simbas problem around by recruiting some of them as park rangers and allowing a ""de facto"" social reintegration which would directly benefit nature conservation in Maiko. Maiko National Park Maiko National Park is a national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies in one of the most remote forest areas of the country and covers . The park is divided into three sectors, straddling the states of Nord Kivu, Province Orientale and Maniema. Three of the country's spectacular endemic animals occur here: the Grauer's gorilla, the okapi, and the Congo peafowl. Maiko is also an important"
"Republic of the Congo, but also in the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, the Cabinda exclave of Angola, south-east Nigeria, and (possibly) the coastal extension of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its range extends north to the Sanaga River in Cameroon, east to the Ubangi River that defines the border between the two Congos, and south to the Congo River, which defines a large part of the same border. Chimpanzees are found predominantly in tropical moist forests and wet savanna woodlands, as well as the forest-savanna mosaics where these two biomes meet, from sea level to . They tend"
"Maiko National Park Maiko National Park is a national park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It lies in one of the most remote forest areas of the country and covers . The park is divided into three sectors, straddling the states of Nord Kivu, Province Orientale and Maniema. Three of the country's spectacular endemic animals occur here: the Grauer's gorilla, the okapi, and the Congo peafowl. Maiko is also an important site for the conservation of the African forest elephant, eastern chimpanzee and the endemic aquatic genet. In 1949, the Belgian colonial administration created the Bakumu Hunting Reserve"
"surveys to make accurate estimates of population sizes and trends. In 2010, giraffes were assessed as Least Concern from a conservation perspective by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but the 2016 assessment categorized giraffes as Vulnerable. Giraffes have been extirpated from much of their historic range including Eritrea, Guinea, Mauritania and Senegal. They may also have disappeared from Angola, Mali, and Nigeria, but have been introduced to Rwanda and Swaziland. Two subspecies, the West African giraffe and the Rothschild giraffe, have been classified as endangered, as wild populations of each of them number in the hundreds. In"
"the University of Kinshasa. Since 2002, the Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary, founded by Claudine André, has been located just south of Kimwenza at the Petites Chutes de la Lukaya. Bonobos are an endangered species which only exist in the Democratic Republic of Congo in the wild. They are the great ape most closely related to humans, and even more intelligent than chimpanzees. Lola ya Bonobo means 'paradise for bonobos' in Lingala, the main language of Kinshasa. In 2012, Lola ya Bonobo was home to 60 bonobos who live in 30 hectares of primary forest. Typically, bonobos arrive as young infants."
"into the Congo. The two species are allopatric across the Sanaga River. Drill (animal) The drill (""Mandrillus leucophaeus"") is a primate of the family Cercopithecidae (Old World monkeys), related to baboons and even more closely to mandrills. The drill is a short-tailed monkey up to long, similar in appearance to the mandrill, but lacks the bright blue and red on the face of that species. It has high sexual dimorphism in weight, with males weighing up to and females up to . The body is overall a dark grey-brown. Mature males have a pink lower lip and white chin on"
"coat patterns. It is classified under the family Giraffidae, along with its closest extant relative, the okapi. Its scattered range extends from Chad in the north to South Africa in the south, and from Niger in the west to Somalia in the east. Giraffes usually inhabit savannahs and woodlands. Their food source is leaves, fruits and flowers of woody plants, primarily acacia species, which they browse at heights most other herbivores cannot reach. They may be preyed on by lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and African wild dogs. Giraffes live in herds of related females and their offspring, or bachelor herds"
"Northern giraffe The northern giraffe (""Giraffa camelopardalis""), also known as three-horned giraffe, is a proposed species of giraffe native to North Africa. In the current IUCN taxonomic scheme, there is only one species of giraffe with the name ""G. camelopardalis"" and nine subspecies. Once abundant throughout Africa since the 19th century, it ranged from Senegal, Mali and Nigeria from West Africa to up north in Egypt. The West African giraffes once lived in Algeria and Morocco in ancient periods until their extinctions due to the Saharan dry climate. It is isolated in South Sudan, Kenya, Chad and Niger. All giraffes"
"are from 3 to 5 inches long. The Northern giraffes live in the savannahs, shrublands and woodlands. After local extinctions in various places, the Northern giraffes are the least numerous species and the most endangered. In East Africa, they are mostly found in Kenya and southwestern Ethiopia, though rarely in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and South Sudan. There are about 2,000 in the Central African Republic, Chad and Cameroon of Central Africa. Once widespread in West Africa, a few hundreds of Northern giraffes are confined at the Dosso Reserve of Kouré, Niger. They are common in both in"
"Kordofan giraffe The Kordofan giraffe (""Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum"") is a subspecies of giraffe found in northern Cameroon, southern Chad, Central African Republic and possibly western Sudan. Historically some confusion has existed over the exact range limit of this subspecies compared to the West African giraffe, with populations in e.g. northern Cameroon formerly assigned to the latter. Genetic work has also revealed that all ""West African giraffe"" in European zoos are in fact Kordofan giraffe. Compared to most other subspecies, the Kordofan giraffe is relatively small at 5 to 6 meters, with more irregular spots on the inner legs. Its English"
"housed in an aviary. The highlight of the region is the primate area featuring three generations of western lowland gorillas, the progeny of Colo, the first gorilla to be born in captivity in the world. The Columbus Zoo has a rapidly expanding group of bonobos, also known as pygmy chimpanzees. Bonobos are the closest living relative to humans and are only found at eight U.S. zoos and less than 20 worldwide zoos outside their native Democratic Republic of the Congo, where they are critically endangered. On May 18, 2012, one of the zoo's gorillas, Mumbah, died of heart failure at"
"poachers are kept in the Democratic Republic of Congo: Grauer's gorillas at the Gorilla Rehabilitation and Conservation Education (GRACE) center in Tayna Nature Reserve, and mountain gorillas at the Senkwekwe Center in Virunga National Park. Eastern gorilla The eastern gorilla (""Gorilla beringei"") is a critically endangered species of the genus ""Gorilla"" and the largest living primate. At present, the species is subdivided into two subspecies. Grauer's gorilla, formerly known as the eastern lowland gorilla (""G. b. graueri"") is more populous, at about 3,800 individuals. The mountain gorilla (""G. b. beringei"") has only about 880 individuals. The International Union for the"
"being mostly offered to kin, then friends, then acquaintances (these categories having been determined using affiliation rates between individuals). Hence, consolation in the bonobo may be an empathy-based phenomenon. Instances in which non-human primates have expressed joy have been reported. One study analyzed and recorded sounds made by human infants and bonobos when they were tickled. Although the bonobos' laugh was at a higher frequency, the laugh was found to follow a spectrographic pattern similar to that of human babies. Bonobos are found only south of the Congo River and north of the Kasai River (a tributary of the Congo),"