Nice to See You, Baby Okapi!    [05-08-2011] Have you ever seen an okapi? The okapi is an interesting-looking animal. Some people think it looks like a horse, while other think it looks like a zebra. However, it is a member of the giraffe family. It has a long neck like the giraffe and striped markings on its legs like the zebra. It has beautiful brown fur. It is about 2 meters tall and weighs about 210 kilograms. It has a very long tongu that is 60 centimeters long! Using the long tongue, the okapi eats leaves and fruits. It has an excellent sense of hearing. You can find this interesting animal in Congo, Central Africa. Sadly, however, the okapis are endangered. The natural habitat for the okapi is threatened by deforestation and poaching. The only country where they can still be found in the wild is Congo. Today, there are only about 10,000 to 20,000 okapis in the wild. Recently, a baby okapi was born at a zoo in Belgium. Her name is Mchawi and she was born on July 4. Last Wednesday, she made her first public appearance at Antwerp Zoo. Many people came to the zoo to see the lovely animal. “Mchawi is very lovely. You can even pet her. She is very nice to us and she isn’t afraid of people. Her mother is also calm, so it’s mother like daughter,” said Patrick Immens, head keeper of the zoo. Stay healthy and strong, Mchawi! We are so happy to see you!     출처: 어린이 영자신문 키즈타임즈 (www.kidstimes.net)