The quiet, beautiful and enigmatic okapi has only been known to Western scientists since 1901 due to its secretive and reclusive nature. However, the local people in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the only country where the okapi is found, have known about the animal for thousands of years. Though this endangered giraffe relative is a culturally respected animal and has been protected in the country since 1933, slash-and-burn agriculture, illegal gold mining and bushmeat poaching threaten its existence.
For over 30 years, the Okapi Conservation Project has never faltered in its ability to withstand civil wars, rebel attacks and insecurity in an area ripe with political strife and uncertainty. It’s this standing loyalty that OCP has developed a strong trust within the community, allowing their conservation programs to thrive and expand under arduous conditions. Throughout DRC’s turmoil, the Okapi Conservation Project has remained the primary supporter of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve and protector of okapi.
Recently, OCP managed to capture the first known footage of a wild okapi feeding in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, just a few short miles from Epulu, the village where OCP is stationed.
The okapi holds a special reverence within the people’s hearts in the Congo. This is very important in conservation: the local people must have a real love for the animal.John Lukas
John, who is currently Conservation and Science Manager for the Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens and President of the Okapi Conservation Project and the International Rhino Foundation, has over 25 years of international conservation experience. From his work with okapi in the Congo to saving rhinos in Sumatra, John has seen first-hand the importance of integrating the needs of local people into conservation strategies.
Traditional farming in the region involves cutting and burning trees and other vegetation to clear plots for crops. After several plantings, the topsoil is depleted and the farmer moves deeper into the forest and repeats the process. Okapi Conservation Project is helping farmers improve soil and crop yields by planting trees between their crop rows, thus slowing the slash and burn of the forest.
The OCP sustains and supports the work of the Institute in Congo for Conservation of Nature (ICCN) to protect and monitor the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. This support includes providing essential items such as boots, uniforms and satellite phones, as well as assistance with developing an intelligence network within the communities around the Reserve to better understand mining and poaching networks.
To reduce slash and burn agriculture and consumption of bushmeat, the Okapi Conservation Project works to improve community livelihoods by expanding educational opportunities, modernizing health care and increasing agricultural production. Working with Farmer’s Cooperatives and Women’s Groups, OCP educators strive to advance economic opportunities that reduce pressure on forest and wildlife resources in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
$250 will support sustainable livelihood programs for one family living in or around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve for one year.
$500 will support three ICCN rangers who protect okapi by collecting snares and pursuing poachers and other illegal activities.
$1,000 will provide a month’s worth of fuel and maintenance for all motorbikes of the OCP educators who travel the Reserve educating the local people about protecting the forest and conserving okapi.
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