walk around with yourgooglieson show can be problematical when you inhabit an environment ripe with pointy arm poised to poke your eye out . To overcome this occupational risk , okapis have evolved an telling way to head off eye injury by sucking their vision balls back into their heads . The rather disgusting to find out – but undeniably effective – technique leaves them free to saunter through dense flora without the need for protective goggles to keep their eyes good .
This eye suck activity was captured on tv camera byOklahoma City Zooin avideoposted to theirTikTokchannel . It shows one of their resident okapi proudly pushing its peeper back into its skull allowing itsnictitating membraneto chimneysweep across its eyeball . Known as the “ third eyelid ” , nictitating membrane are present in several metal money includingtree frogs , and they avail to keep eyes moist and healthy .
Okapis , which look a piffling like a cervid had a baby with a zebra , are remarkable creatures equipped with several adaptations that make them a perfect fit for sprightliness in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of Congo . The moody coat on their upper soundbox help them to intermix into their milieu as they match the low light of the dense rain forest . Their zebra - uncase legs also serve to smash up their silhouette in the undergrowth and are consider to aid calfskin stick with their mother while on the move .
Okapis also have splendidly long tongue mensurate up to30 centimeters(12 inches ) which enable them to clean almost any part of their body , including their eyes . The ready to hand appendage also pass on them additional reach when foraging , and its dark color intend it ’s protect from getting burnt when wag around in full view of the Dominicus .
There ’s a muckle of eyeball retraction going on in the brute realm , but some species are good at it than others . The center of the guitarfish can move a distance of37.3 millimeters(1.5 in ) when retracting , and even our own eye ( as well as that of ginzo pigs and rabbits ) can shrink back at most 1.5 millimeters ( 0.06 inches ) during a blink .
Something to ponder when you essay to sleep tonight !
