Giraffes & Pronghorns

Why did I put Pronghorn with Giraffe? They are each in their own Family. They are both Ruminants, but so are Bovids, like Bison, Antelope, and Goats. Pronghorn are often called antelope because they resemble antelope and fill the same ecological niche. But they are not antelope at all. Pronghorn are the only extant Species in their Family Antilocapridae. As a member of the superfamily Giraffoidea, the pronghorn's closest living relatives are the giraffe and okapi. I have included the Giraffe subspecies identification where I have been able to identify it. There are at least nine subspecies. Giraffes are listed as vulnerable, with at least one subspecies - Reticulated - listed as Endangered. Okapi are Endangered.

Giraffes are my spirit animal. They look like they will tip over with every step, yet they move with an awkward grace and elegance. I saw a giraffe being born once, as seen in one of the photos—no words for that experience.

I never have and am unlikely ever to see an Okapi in the wild (though I did see one in a zoo). Okapis are amazing animals that look like a mix between a giraffe and a zebra. They live only in remote areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), mostly in the Okapi Reserve. Wildlife Conservation Society comanages the Reserve with the DRC government agency, The Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN). You can support their work by donating to the Okapi Conservation Project.

The Pronghorn is the second fastest animal in the world after the cheetah. It is a beautiful little animal.

Pronghorn - Yellowstone National Park, Montana

Giraffes & Pronghorns

Equines

Lions