Okapi Wildlife Reserve

Okapi Wildlife Reserve
IUCN category II (national park)

Epulu River in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Map showing the location of Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Location Democratic Republic of the Congo
Nearest city Isiro
Coordinates 02°00′00″N 28°30′00″E / 2.00000°N 28.50000°E / 2.00000; 28.50000Coordinates: 02°00′00″N 28°30′00″E / 2.00000°N 28.50000°E / 2.00000; 28.50000
Area 13,726.25 km2 (5,299.73 sq mi)[1]
Established 1992[2]
Governing body l'Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN)
Type Natural
Criteria x
Designated 1996 (20th session)
Reference no. 718
State Party Democratic Republic of the Congo
Region Africa
Endangered 1997–present

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a World Heritage Site [3] in the Ituri Forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the borders with Sudan and Uganda. At approximately 14,000 km², it covers approximately one fifth of the area of the forest.

Location

The Nepoko, Ituri and Epulu rivers flow through the reserve. The imposing Mbiya Mountain overlooks the Epulu village. The reserve is home to about 5,000 okapi, 4,000 elephants, 2,000 leopards, chimpanzees and crocodiles. Other Ituri rain forest animals include forest buffalo, water chevrotain, and forest elephants. The reserve has over 300 species of bird, and is one of the most important sites for bird conservation in mainland Africa.[4] Nomadic Mbuti pygmies and indigenous Bantu farmers also live within the reserve.

History

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve was created with the help of the Okapi Conservation Project in 1992. The project continues to support the reserve by training and equipping wildlife guards and by providing assistance to improve the lives of neighboring communities.[5] The Okapi Wildlife Reserve was added to the list of world heritage sites in danger in 1997. The main threats to the reserve are deforestation, primarily caused by slash and burn agriculture, and commercial hunting for the sale of bush meat. Gold mining has also been problematic to the Reserve. As of 2005, the fighting in the eastern part of the country moved within the boundaries of the Reserve, causing its staff to flee or be evacuated. While the native Mbuti and Bantu peoples traditionally respect the forest and its wildlife, immigrants into the area do not feel the same connection to the land. Lack of funding due to the poor political and economic conditions of the Democratic Republic of the Congo has also been problematic. It is hoped that eco-tourism to the area can be developed, leading to both increased funding and improved public awareness.

Conservation

As implied by the name, the reserve is home to many okapis. As of 1996, the number was estimated at about 3900–6350, out of a global population of around 10,000–20,000. It is also the location of the Epulu Conservation and Research Center, on the Epulu River. This facility dates back to 1928 when the camp was founded by American anthropologist Patrick Putnam as a capture station, where wild okapis were captured and sent to American and European zoos. It still serves that function today, albeit with very different methodology. Okapis are captured, and then bred in captivity, and then only these offspring are sent to zoos, as it has been found that they have a much lower chance of survival. Even so, very few are now exported — only the minimum number necessary to ensure genetic viability of the captive population. The center also carries out much important research and conservation work.

On 24 June 2012, the Epulu Conservation and Research Center was attacked, looted and burned by a group of Mai-Mai rebels consisting of elephant poachers and illegal miners.[6] During the attack, 13 of the 14 okapis at the center were killed (the last died later of injuries sustained during the attack) and six people, incl. two wildlife rangers, were also killed.[6] In early August, the security situation had improved due to Congolese army troops and guards from the Congolese Wildlife Authority, and preparations for repairs of the center had begun.[7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ INSTITUT CONGOLAIS POUR LA CONSERVATION DE LA NATURE. Okapi
  2. ↑ Okapi
  3. ↑ "21 World Heritage Sites you have probably never heard of". Daily Telegraph.
  4. ↑ "Okapi Wildlife Reserve". Guide for Africa. Retrieved 2011-10-25.
  5. ↑ "Okapi Conservation Project". Wildlife Conervation Network.
  6. 1 2 Okapi Conservation Project (28 June 2012).Okapi Conservation Project, Epulu Update – June 28, 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012
  7. ↑ Okapi Conservation Project (4 August 2012).Okapi Conservation Project, Update – August 4, 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012

Further reading

External links

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