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# Wildlife Conservation Global

## Sitemaps

- [XML Sitemap](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website.

## Posts

- [News](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/news/)
- [MEET THE WOMEN OF THE RESERVE](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/meet-the-women-of-the-reserve/)
- [CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY 2021!](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/celebrating-international-womens-day-2021/)
- [OCP PROVIDES 100,000 FACE SHIELDS FOR HEALTHCARE WORKERS](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-provides-100000-face-shields-for-healthcare-workers/)
- [WOMEN’S GROUP BUILDING CONSTRUCTION IN EPULU NEARS COMPLETION](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/womens-group-building-construction-in-epulu-nears-completion/)
- [WORLD OKAPI DAY IN REVIEW](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/world-okapi-day-in-review/)
- [Status of OCP programs during the COVID-19 Crisis in DR Congo](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/status-of-ocp-programs-during-the-covid-19-crisis-in-dr-congo/) - As we re-orientate OCP programs around the various health issues in eastern DRC which include not only COVID-19 but also Monkeypox, an outbreak of Plague, and a new occurrence of Ebola in central DRC, we continuously have to adjust our movements against a backdrop of violence and insecurity which continues unabated in the highlands along the Uganda and Rwanda borders making travel by road extremely perilous. During our weekly Zoom calls with staff in Epulu I am more than amazed at their determination and bravery to get as much done to help the conservation of okapi as conditions allow. Civil disobedience is everywhere and our team travels through and around the Reserve implementing OCP programs of education, agroforestry and community assistance avoiding roadblocks or talking their way through them.
- [Mélanie Joins Our Education Team](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/melanie-joins-our-education-team/) - Education is the foundation of social change and implementing conservation action, and with a strong understanding of this idea, Okapi Conservation Project has been deeply investing in the education of the communities around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve since our start in 1987. Mélanie joins the OCP team after she previously taught schoolchildren in Kisangani, a large city in the north central part of DRC, but her most recent experience was with the National Electoral Commission office in Wamba, a population center just outside the northwestern boundary of the Reserve.
- [Celebrating the Life and Traditions of Indigenous Peoples](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/celebrating-the-life-and-traditions-of-indigenous-peoples/) - Living throughout central Africa, Pygmy populations are nomadic, indigenous people that have lived in harmony with the forest for an estimated 40,000+ years. Moving from camp to camp throughout the year, each tribe moves to new sustenance hunting and gathering areas allowing the previous locations to regrow and repopulate which reduces their impact on the forests and the animals and plants found within it. In northeastern DRC, the Mbuti Pygmy tribe is found in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
- [Water is Life – Providing Access to Clean Water near Mambasa](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/water-is-life-providing-access-to-clean-water-near-mambasa/) - All families in the rural and low-income areas of the Democratic Republic of Congo, including those living in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, must fetch water from natural water sources – springs for drinking water, and streams and rivers for water used in cooking or washing. But frequently, these sources of water carry water-borne diseases which can infect the people who consume it. Providing access to clean, fast-flowing water reduces the frequency of water-borne diseases and increases the access to water for many more people in the region. 
- [Broadcasting to a Reserve – How Radio Can Save Lives Across the OWR](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/broadcasting-to-a-reserve-how-radio-can-save-lives-across-the-owr/) - Anyone who has turned on their radio in Mambasa has most likely heard the voice of one of OCP’s educators. As the main news outlet and information source in this remote region, radio broadcasts are a reliable way to be informed about critical news in the region, learn about the environment, and become familiar with ways to improve their livelihoods. The OCP Education team’s broadcasts provide carefully curated content spanning a wide variety of topics meant to empower people around the Reserve by showing them how to protect the environment for the benefit of people and animals, share with them the purpose of OCP programs and the laws of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
- [Four New Water Sources in Wamba](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/four-new-water-sources-in-wamba/) - Through March and April, OCP worked with local communities around Wamba to construct four new water sources. These locations were chosen for rehabilitation to provide clean water sources for communities bordering the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. A single water source can often provide access to clean water for thousands of residents, making it an important fixture for communities. Before these water sources were constructed, communities were forced to collect water from stagnant sources, often putting them at risk from contaminated water and waterborne diseases. As M’Bete Ngume, in charge of infrastructure and maintenance at OCP reminds us, “Water is Life.”
- [Camera Trapping Provides Exciting Footage](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/camera-trapping-provides-exciting-footage/) - On March 15th, just before President Tshisekedi declared a lockdown of citizens to prevent the spread of COVID-19, Team Okapi set out to the Mehwa Edo to check the camera traps originally deployed in June 2019. This is the second trip to collect images and footage since deployment. While the camera traps were providing OCP with an incredible amount of footage of the animals that visit there, the positioning of some cameras made it challenging to achieve a good visual on the animals. Because of the fast growth of plants, and sometimes with the interference of curious animals, we needed to reposition some cameras and clear areas to ensure we continue to collect usable video footage and images.
- [Completion of the Assistant Warden’s Residence](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/completion-of-the-assistant-wardens-residence/) - This quarter marks the completion of the ICCN Assistant Warden’s Residence at the Epulu Station. Construction began on the building late last year, which was made possible by a grant from the US Fish and Wildlife Service, and despite the current COVID-19 crisis affecting the globe, OCP staff pushed through to complete this critical piece of infrastructure while following the recommended guidelines World Health Organization on preventing the spread of COVID-19. The Assistant Warden is responsible for all ranger operations across the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, and the new residence provides a more centralized authority, faster emergency response time, and better connections with local leaders to ensure ICCN patrols continue to monitor the Reserve effectively.
- [4/15/20 – Ebola Isn’t Over Yet, and COVID-19 Preparations Continue](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/4-15-20-ebola-isnt-over-yet-and-covid-19-preparations-continue/) - As we prepare for the arrival of COVID-19, Eastern DRC is still dealing with the Ebola epidemic. In March, the last Ebola patient was released from a treatment center and Congolese authorities believed the virus was eradicated after going for several weeks without any new cases. The world was hopeful the epidemic would be over.
- [Celebrating International Women’s Day](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/celebrating-international-womens-day/) - They key to a sustainable future for okapi is a sustainable future for local communities. Women of the Reserve, operating in all different disciplines, have put an incredible amount of effort into changing the relationship between villagers and their environment. Today, on International Women’s Day, we highlight six women working everyday to improve the livelihoods of the residents, and protect the animals of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
- [Agroforestry Continues to Grow](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/agroforestry-continues-to-grow/) - Nurseries were busy distributing seedlings in the past few months with a total of 26,592 distributed to 717 local farmers. 11,229 kg of bean seeds were also distributed to 183 farmers. Thirty-nine new gardens were also set-up in local communities. Our ever-increasing agroforestry production helps thwart unstainable agriculture in the area. Distribution can be made difficult by poor road conditions, exacerbated by bad weather that often floods them and disable vehicles.
- [Infrastructure in 2020](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/infrastructure-in-2020/) - Infrastructure development has been a priority around the Reserve over the past year. The Okapi Dispensary was completed in September, which was made possible by a generous WCN donor, the ICCN depot was completed to store confiscated materials, and the Internet Office Building made possible by Segre Fondation and Wildlife Without Borders – African Elephant Fund to increase the capacity of ICCN rangers and OCP Staff. The final project in the 2019 construction marathon is the Assistant Warden’s residence with completion expected later this year. This construction is made possible through a grant from US Fish and Wildlife Service.
- [Status of the Ebola Outbreak in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/status-of-the-ebola-outbreak-in-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/) - In the 33 years OCP has been working in Eastern DR Congo (formerly Zaire), we have seen and experienced many disruptions including civil war and attacks by rebel groups but the insidious effects of the Ebola epidemic is undermining civil society in a way that has wide-ranging effect on people’s ability to trust each other and those trying to help them. Along the roads in eastern DRC you come upon many health control points where you must get out of your vehicle, register, wash your hands and have your temperature checked. If it is over 38 degrees Celsius you are asked to sit down and rest and your temperature is rechecked, if it remains high you are taken to an Ebola Treatment Center for further evaluation. Since the beginning of the outbreak, the cumulative number of travelers checked at health checkpoints is 134,802,696.
- [Mbuti Pygmies Assist with Monitoring Okapi](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/mbuti-pygmies-assist-with-monitoring-okapi/) - During the most recent trip to Epulu, John Lukas spoke about the importance of involving the Mbuti pygmies in monitoring activities around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The Mbuti have a special relationship with okapi and have a very important role to play in the protection, management and understanding of the Reserve ecosystem. One item in particular we are excited to explore is when wild okapi calves leave their mother. Typically, okapi calves in human care are separated around 10 months of age based on behaviors exhibited between mother and calf, but it is not known when they separate from their mother in the wild.
- [Camera Trapping in a New Area](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/camera-trapping-in-a-new-area/) - Camera traps are necessary tools to observe secretive wildlife, like okapi in their natural habitats. In June of this year, Team Okapi, a group made up of seven ICCN rangers, six OCP staff and 6 pygmies deployed up camera traps around the circumference of the Mewa edo, a natural clearing in the forest, similar to a glade, with access to water and mineral-rich soil. These areas attract many spectacular animals found within the Ituri Forest, and Mewa in particular is a pristine environment with little to no human impact, because of its remote location requiring a two-day bushwhacking hike through the forest.
- [World Okapi Day 2020](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/world-okapi-day-2020/) - World Okapi Day is centered around celebrating the enigmatic okapi and using it as a flagship species to protect the entire forest ecosystem in which it lives. Protecting the rainforest not only allows a thriving population of okapi, forest elephants and chimpanzees to live, but it also allows a unique indigenous culture to continue living in the forest.
- [Two Chimp Infants Confiscated and Sent to Lwiro Primate Sanctuary](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/two-chimp-infants-confiscated-and-sent-to-lwiro-primate-sanctuary/) - In the past year, a total of five chimpanzee infants and one baboon have been confiscated by ICCN rangers in the northeastern region of DRC. After each confiscation, they were brought to our station in Epulu for immediate care for stabilization before transferring them to Lwiro Primate Sanctuary in Bukavu for long term care.
- [Okapi Wildlife Reserve in DR Congo is now governed by a new management structure to improve protection](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-wildlife-reserve-in-dr-congo-is-now-governed-by-a-new-management-structure-to-improve-protection/) - The Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), created to protect the secretive okapi (Okapia johnstoni), will now be governed through a 10-year Co-management Partnership Agreement between the Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) and the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Management of the OWR is delegated to WCS through the appointment of the Director of the Reserve Management Unit. The Okapi Conservation Project is a partner of the OWR and operates its programs through a Collaboration Agreement with WCS and a Contract of Collaboration with ICCN.
- [Field Report – September and November 2019](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/field-report-september-and-november-2019/) - The trip from Entebbe to Epulu still requires an overland border crossing from Uganda to DR Congo which means many document and Ebola checks and three flights on small planes. Due to the condition of the road and the added uncertainty of who we might meet, we charted a flight into Epulu. Lucas Meers and myself arrived in Epulu on the 23rd of September one day ahead of the delegations from ICCN and WCS. The week was filled with ceremonies and meetings. The Director General of ICCN, Cosma Wilungula and Scientific Director Mapilanga were in attendance along with Emma Stokes of Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS). Separate meetings were held with OCP senior staff, the Women’s Group of Epulu, WCS representatives, ICCN leadership and with high ranking members of all partner organizations.
- [Camera Traps – Discovering the Secret Life of Forest Animals](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/camera-traps-discovering-the-secret-life-of-forest-animals/) - The incredibly lush region of the Ituri Forest provides the perfect habitat and refuge for an incredible number of species. The Democratic Republic of Congo is arguably the most biodiverse country in Africa and one of the 14 mega-diverse countries in the world identified by Conservation International. Many forest animals live secret lives, and just because we don’t see them, doesn’t mean they aren’t there. By using motion-sensing camera traps, we can set the camera and leave it for months at a time, day and night, through sunshine and rain. When an animal crosses the detection field of the camera, it begins recording for a few seconds.
- [Agroforestry – Providing Opportunities for People and Restoration of Habitat](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/agroforestry-providing-opportunities-for-people-and-restoration-of-habitat/) - In the Democratic Republic of Congo, International Tree Day is celebrated at the end of each year. This is in anticipation of the last rains of the year to provide ample watering for the young trees. During this past year, celebrations were organized around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve to involve students in reforestation projects at their schools. Reforestation efforts around schools serve many purposes. When schools are constructed, the area is usually cleared of trees, or the schools are constructed on abandoned plots of land that once held many trees. Once constructed, the school sits in an open area and subject to the hot sun. By reforesting the areas around schools, the trees provide shade during the hot midday sun, and an area for the students to have recess or just hang out. In addition, the trees provide wildlife corridors and food sources for monkeys and birds.
- [ICCN – Ensuring the Reserve Continues to be Protected](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/iccn-ensuring-the-reserve-continues-to-be-protected/) - ICCN Rangers provide the first line of defense to protect okapi, forest elephants, chimpanzees and other animals that call the Reserve home. The dedicated rangers risk their lives each day in order to ensure the Reserve remains protected. So dedicated in fact, the rangers conducted over 146 patrols in the first three months of this year, covering over 4,900 kilometers around the Reserve. Six okapi were encountered, meaning rangers walked an average of over 800 kilometers between okapi sightings! While on patrol, the rangers documented other sightings and signs of forest elephants, chimpanzees, hornbills and recorded locations of any illegal activity for future follow up.
- [Field Report – June 2019](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/field-report-june-2019/) - Travel to Epulu has become more difficult with DRC not allowing flights from Uganda to land at Bunia Airport. Getting into DRC now requires crossing the border by road which involves leaving the hotel in Entebbe at 5 AM for the MAF base in Kijjansi, flying to Arua in Northern Uganda, getting my first Ebola check, and then hopping into a van with a mix of passengers to drive across the border into DRC. Once over the border, I traveled through three more Ebola checks and my passport information was written down (slowly) seven times in various huts and buildings. I had to show my invitation letters from ICCN as they could not believe I wanted to go to Epulu. After 2 hours, we drove another hour to a dusty strip in Arua to wait for a MAF plane to Bunia. After another passport check, the plane landed, but the crew had teacher salaries which had to be delivered to the bank in town before we could board. A few hours passed, and with 6 passengers in their seats, we finally took off for Bunia where I was fortunate enough to catch a charter flight stopping in Epulu. A trip that used to take 2 hours now took 7 hours to get to Bunia, but at least the Customs thugs couldn’t check my luggage.
- [Infrastructure – Increasing Efficiency and Improving Morale](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/infrastructure-increasing-efficiency-and-improving-morale/) - The past year has been incredibly busy with construction projects for the Reserve and that trend continues into this new year. Improving infrastructure in such a remote area not only increases the productivity and efficiency of ICCN rangers and OCP staff to continue their work protecting the forest, but it also increases the morale of everyone involved in the process.
- [World Okapi Day 2018](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/world-okapi-day-2018/) - After celebrating World Okapi Day for the first time in DR Congo in 2017, the Okapi Conservation Project (OCP) wanted to increase the profile and the reach of the activities in 2018 by expanding the activities to include women’s groups in the selected towns and villages. In addition to garnering support through social media postings and events held at zoos around the world that generously support OCP, we celebrated a series of organized events in four villages and towns around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The events were planned to run simultaneously in the towns and villages of Epulu, Mambasa, Mungbere and Watsa; these four areas are within the okapi’s native range and where the bulk of the okapi population resides. OCP’s approach includes finding new ways to engage the local communities, and a community celebration on World Okapi Day was a way to create long-lasting excitement for communities to protect okapi and their habitat.
- [Rescued Primates Receive a Second Chance](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/rescued-primates-receive-a-second-chance/) - Recently, a young chimpanzee and baboon were confiscated by ICCN rangers in Badengaido and brought to our In-Country Director, Rosie Ruf, for initial care. Badengaido is a town inside the Okapi Wildlife Reserve that has grown exponentially as it is a collection point for miners to access illegal mines nearby. The animals were brought to our station because we work in partnership with ICCN and confiscated animals need to be cared for until they can be released or placed in sanctuaries that have space for the animals.
- [New Nursery in Wamba and Infrastructure Improvements](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/new-nursery-in-wamba-and-infrastructure-improvements/) - The area of Wamba just outside the Reserve’s northwest sector has experienced an increase in population which has put pressure on the fragile forest ecosystem. The communities surrounding Wamba have an interest in conservation and protecting the forest and requested the construction of a nursery to improve food security and to become involved in our agroforestry program.
- [ICCN Rangers Face Challenging Times](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/iccn-rangers-face-challenging-times/) - With the national election scheduled for December 23rd in DRC, it is important, despite the potential distractions, that the ICCN rangers stay focused on controlling illegal activities inside the OWR. OCP continues to provide prompt payments of bonuses to the rangers for their efforts on patrol and supports the medical care for their families. OCP also provides the fuel and spare parts for ICCN’s vehicle fleet and supports communication and intelligence networks necessary to coordinate the strategic deployment of rangers to counter threats.
- [New Footage from Camera Traps Spreads Excitement](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/new-footage-from-camera-traps-spreads-excitement/) - Just two years ago, OCP launched a camera trap study in select areas around the Epulu station to document wildlife activity. We created a group named ‘Team Okapi’ consisting of ICCN rangers, OCP staff and Mbuti guides to strategically place camera traps just outside areas of human settlement to monitor wildlife, specifically okapi, to determine the abundance and diversity of species in those areas.
- [Report from the Field](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/report-from-the-field-2/) - Before leaving for DRC in May, my spare room was overflowing with gear for the rangers in Epulu as I tried to safely pack it in as few bags as possible for the many plane transfers I would have to negotiate by myself. After eight flights, seven security checks and a total of 62 hours of travel time, I arrived in Epulu on May 28th with seven 50-pound bags of much-needed equipment for the Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) to support protection of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR).
- [First-ever Footage of Okapi Calf in the Wild](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/first-ever-footage-of-okapi-calf-in-the-wild/) - We are elated to share the first-ever footage of an okapi calf in the wild! This short, 20-second clip comes just over two months after we received footage of a pregnant female last year.
- [Carrying on After Tragedy, OCP Staff and ICCN Rangers Record Impressive 1st Quarter Results](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/carrying-on-after-tragedy-ocp-staff-and-iccn-rangers-record-impressive-1st-quarter-results/) - The OCP staff has been working through the tragic death of our conservation educator Jean Claude Kalinda during an attack on our vehicle outside the village of Eringeti on February 17. This incident, among many others in the region, testifies to the dangerous conditions OCP staff work under every day to carry out our mission to conserve okapi in the wild. Without your support, we could not make it through these difficult times, and knowing that people around the world care motivates our staff to keep trying to make a difference in the lives of people and animals living in the Congo.
- [Okapi Camera Trap Video](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-camera-trap-video/) - Team Okapi has been doing a great job setting and monitoring our camera traps. Recently we captured a video of a pregnant okapi feeding in the evening, and hopefully in 4 to 5 months, we should get an image of the mother and her calf, as youngsters stay close to their mothers when they first leave the nest. OCP is planning to expand its camera trap survey into key habitat types to better determine population trends for okapi and other species of wildlife found around previously disturbed areas. Feel free to share our images to raise awareness of this beautiful, unique “forest giraffe” found only in the deep, dark forests of DR Congo.
- [Moving Forward in 2018](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/moving-forward-in-2018/) - Building on a very productive 2017, OCP staff have a very aggressive work plan for 2018 that takes advantage of relative calm in the region around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve and the presence of a large contingent of the Congolese army based in Mambasa and Epulu which have deterred movement of Maimai insurgents into the Reserve. While we wait for DRC to make the transition to a freely elected government, work will continue on rebuilding and modifying the okapi enclosures with funding from the Swiss Embassy in Kinshasa.
- [Report from the Field](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/report-from-the-field/)
- [OCP 2017 Highlights and Accomplishments](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-2017-highlights-and-accomplishments/) - 2017 Okapi Conservation Project Highlights and Accomplishments
- [Automotive Mechanics Training at The Kivu Motor in Goma](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/automotive-mechanics-training-at-the-kivu-motor-in-goma/) - As part of a commitment to provide training to the employees of ICCN and OCP, OCP supported a motor vehicle training course for the two drivers of vehicles in the OWR, Jeannot ACHEKENI and Aimé KIRUZI, at the Kivu-Motor garage in Goma which specializes in brand-name vehicles TOYOTA LAND CRUISER and HILUX VIGO, which are the types of vehicles used in the OWR.
- [Rehabilitation of Eight Drinking Water Sources in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/rehabilitation-of-eight-drinking-water-sources-in-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/) - The main objective of this development project was to rehabilitate eight water sources in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve to provide safe drinking water by building clean and well-protected sources of spring water for the local communities residing inside the Reserve.
- [Amazing Video of Wild Okapi](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/amazing-video-of-wild-okapi/) - This amazing camera trap video of a young male okapi foraging on the slopes of Mount Mbia is remarkable for a number of reasons. The okapi is feeding only 2 km from Epulu where 5,000 people work and live and not far from the main road through the Reserve.
- [Law Enforcement in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/law-enforcement-in-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/) - The 1st of August marked the official closure of hunting in the forest zones of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR). ICCN leadership issued a reminder to all the local communities resident in the OWR and distributed an order to abide by the established hunting schedule.
- [30-Year Anniversary](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/30-year-anniversary/) - Wow – It’s already been three decades since we began our work in DRC (then Zaire) to protect the endangered okapi and their habitat in the Ituri Rainforest! To celebrate, we’re sharing photos and stories of our journey over the years on our social media sites, and all posts will be shared on this page.
- [Saving Okapi Habitat One Farmer at a Time](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/saving-okapi-habitat-one-farmer-at-a-time/) - Supporting farmers’ transition to more sustainable crops and the mastering of soil improvement techniques is a long-term investment that protects okapi habitat. Once farmers are producing their own seeds and crops, OCP need only store their seeds and occasionally provide Lucerne seedlings – a tree that puts nitrogen back into the soil to nourish crops. Farmers give back seeds from their first crop and OCP agronomists distribute those seeds to new farmers joining the program. OCP maintains a seed bank that serves a large area as farmers have no way of storing seeds and purchasing them is too expensive. New farmers join the program as farmers move on to become self-sufficient, with OCP supporting about 500 farmers at any given time. In areas OCP has been working without interruption, agricultural zones support the needs of the communities without the need to encroach into primary forest habitat.
- [Camera Trap Update – More Cameras, More Photos](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/camera-trap-update-more-cameras-more-photos/) - On our trip to DRC in March, we brought 13 additional camera traps (one was a replacement for a camera that failed) giving us 17 camera traps that were installed in three locations. From the four camera traps that were set up in Biandje, located 14 km from Epulu to the East, we collected more images of okapi and other species. The additional camera traps will permit us the sample more than one area at a time. When our team shares the photos with members of the cooperating villages of the many species living around them they get very excited and most are glad the animals are still there as most of the species we are documenting are very difficult to encounter in the wild.
- [Spreading Our Conservation Message](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/spreading-our-conservation-message/) - Awareness and environmental education is the cornerstone of conservation, especially in areas classified as Reserves where people live in and around the protected habitat, like the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
- [Using Spiritual Beliefs to Protect Okapi Habitat](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/using-spiritual-beliefs-to-protect-okapi-habitat/) - Mining continues to be a serious threat to the wildlife and integrity of the forest ecosystem in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Progress has been made in closing many of the illegal gold mines, but a few larger mines continue to operate despite regular interventions by ICCN rangers and Congolese soldiers. During my visit to Epulu in March, it was agreed that ICCN will focus on closing the 2 large gold mines north of NR4 (East/West road through the Reserve, and the red line on the map) while the Congolese army will concentrate its forces to block access to the mines south of NR4.
- [Okapi Conservation Project - 30 Year Anniversary](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-30-year-anniversary/) - This June marks 30 years since we’ve been protecting okapi and its habitat in the heart of Africa. Over the past 3 decades, we’ve weathered uncertainty, difficulties and rebel attacks, but never faltered on our commitment to protect the okapi and the animals that share its forest home.
- [Tree Day Celebration – December 5](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/tree-day-celebration-december-5/) - Each year on December 5, the Okapi Conservation Project celebrates Tree Day by distributing hundreds of tree seedlings to primary and secondary schools around the Reserve, and the kids love it. Our educators teach them about how trees benefit the forest, animals and their local communities. To read more, click here.
- [Looking Forward – Plans for 2017](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/looking-forward-plans-for-2017/) - The Okapi Conservation Project (OCP) in 2017 will continue to work with onsite partners in building capacity for ICCN (Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature) wildlife rangers to improve protection and law enforcement in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR). OCP staff will help communities address the basic needs of food security, income generation, education, and health care which reinforces the positive relationship between communities and the role the Okapi Wildlife Reserve plays in improving their livelihoods. OCP will continue to supports the widows and families of OCP and ICCN staff that were killed in the line of duty.
- [Dr. Mallon Sponsored by WOCC, Inc. to Attend 2012 AZA Conference](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/dr-mallon-sponsored-by-wocc-inc-to-attend-2012-aza-conference/)
- [WOCC, Inc. Sponsors Attendance at Blue-Billed Curassow Workshop](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/136-2/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project Update - Oct. 5, 2012](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-update-oct-5-2012/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project Update – December 13, 2012](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-update-oct-5-2012-2/) - Read the latest okapi conservation project update from John Lukas here
- [WOCC, Inc. Provides Funding for SEZARC Post-Doctoral Fellow, Dr. Shiho Sumigama](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/wocc-inc-provides-funding-for-sezarc-post-doctoral-fellow-dr-shiho-sumigama/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project Update – December 31, 2012](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-update-december-31-2012/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project Update – January 28, 2013](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-update-january-28-2013/)
- [OCP Launches New Micro-Site:  The Epulu Story](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-launches-new-micro-site-the-epulu-story/) - The Okapi Conservation Project is excited to announce the launch of The Epulu Story at www.epulu-story.org. This companion site will be hosting the documentary video we created in conjunction with the Green Living Project (GLP) as well as serving as a hub for breaking news. We would also like to thank High10 Media for their support in designing the new site and thus helping OCP bring more supporters to the cause of conservation.
- [Okapi Conservation Project Update - March 13, 2013](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-update-march-13-2013/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project Update – April 15, 2013](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-update-april-15-2013/)
- [OCP Education Program Achievements in April 2013](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-education-program-achievements-in-april-2013/) - The OCP education program accomplished a series of activities in and around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve during April 2013.
- [Important Meetings in the DR Congo Bring Local Leaders and International Supporters Together](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/important-meetings-in-the-dr-congo-bring-local-leaders-and-international-supporters-together/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project Summer Action Plan](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-summer-action-plan/)
- [Zoos and Field Conservationists Call for Worldwide Action to Stop Illegal Killing of Wildlife](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/zoos-and-field-conservationists-call-for-worldwide-action-to-stop-illegal-killing-of-wildlife/)
- [Carolyn Hennesy interviews the President of the Okapi Conservation Project, John Lukas](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/carol-hennesy-interviews-the-president-of-the-okapi-conservation-project-john-lukas/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project Update: Summer 2013](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-update-summer-2013/)
- [Interview with John Lukas on Mongabay.com a Year after the Devastating Attack on Epulu](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/interview-with-john-lukas-on-mongabay-com-a-year-after-the-devastating-attack-on-epulu/)
- [2012 Okapi Conservation Project Annual Report Available for Download](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/2012-okapi-conservation-project-annual-report-available-for-download/) - Download and read the 2012 Okapi Conservation Project Annual Report here.
- [Okapi – Forest Giraffe of the Congo Added to IUCN’S Endangered Species List](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-forest-giraffe-of-the-congo-added-to-iucns-endangered-species-list/) - The Okapi Conservation Project today announces that okapi (Okapia johnstoni) have officially been reclassified as ‘Endangered’ in the newly released International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Following a reassessment led by the Congolese nature conservation agency (ICCN) and partners including the Zoological Society of London, the Okapi Conservation Project, the Wildlife Conservation Society and the Frankfurt Zoological Society, the okapi moves up two rungs from its original Red List classification of “Near Threatened” to “Endangered”.
- [December 2013 Okapi Conservation Project Update](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/december-2013-okapi-conservation-project-update/) - Many encouraging actions have resulted from the generous support of our Zoo Partners and all of our donors for OCP efforts to conserve the okapi in the wild. This update provides a brief overview of what ICCN and OCP staffs were able to accomplish in 2013 under extremely dangerous and difficult circumstances to safe guard the largest population of okapi and elephants in DR Congo. Read ;more here.
- [OCP President meets with ICCN rangers and OCP staff in January 2014 in Epulu](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-president-meets-with-iccn-rangers-and-ocp-staff-in-january-2014-in-epulu/) - Early this year, while visiting Epulu, I met with as many people as possible in order to hear first-hand their stories and views about what are their most pressing concerns and needs. This information helps us define our actions and programs going forward to better assist the guards in their efforts to protect the wildlife and people living in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Read more about the OCP President's trip here.
- [OCP Report from the Field – January 18, 2014](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-report-from-the-field-january-18-2014/)
- [New Leadership Appointed for ICCN in Epulu, DR Congo](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/new-leadership-appointed-for-iccn-in-epulu-dr-congo/) - ICCN Kinshasa appointed new leaders for the Okapi Wildlife Reserve on January 29, 2014
- [OCP Provides Assistance to Primary Schools Around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-provides-assistance-to-primary-schools-around-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/) - As a response to the request of primary school teachers, OCP has organized the purchase and distribution of chalk to 18 primary schools situated in and around the Reserve.
- [Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE) Meeting in Mambasa, DR Congo](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/central-africa-regional-program-for-the-environment-carpe-meeting-in-mambasa-dr-congo/) - The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) organized a 4-day consortium meeting to explain the work which is planned to be undertaken with Central Africa Regional Program for the Environment (CARPE) funds provided by USAID in the Ituri-Epulu-Aru landscape. This essentially involved discussing the land use plan, how to improve community livelihoods and delivering environmental education to communities. For the 2014-2020 phases, CARPE is partnering with WCS and OCP to implement a 5-year work plan that has already been developed which responds to the threats to the entire landscape and especially on the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
- [OCP Provides New Materials to ICCN for Monitoring the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-provides-new-materials-to-iccn-for-monitoring-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/) - The OCP has provided ICCN with 3 new motorbikes and 5 new digital cameras to reinforce patrol and patrol post supervision as well as to facilitate regular means of verification of important protection activities and actions in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
- [Okapi Conservation Project May Update](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/httpokapiconservation-orgnewsokapi-conservation-project-may-update/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project June 2014 Update](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-june-2014-update/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project 2013 Annual Report Now Available For Download](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-2013-annual-report-now-available-for-download/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project August 2014 Update](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-august-2014-update/)
- [Advances in Wildlife Protection in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/advances-in-wildlife-protection-in-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/)
- [Targeting the Removal of Miners and Poachers from Inside the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/targeting-the-removal-of-miners-and-poachers-from-inside-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/) - As rangers work to bring the Reserve back under control of ICCN, the next planned action involves the removal of all illegal miners and the shutdown of illegal settlements inside the Reserve. Estimations suggest that up to 70 illegal mining camps, involving thousands of people are operating within the boundaries of the protected area. Most miners are from outside the region and come to the area strictly to be involved is this illegal activity. Additionally, as rangers work to eliminate poaching entirely within the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, elephant poaching remains a threat and is a special focus the rangers when on patrol. To read more click here.
- [Wildlife Populations Recovering in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/wildlife-populations-recovering-in-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/) - As a direct result of improved security in the region, ICCN patrols are able to survey the status of key wildlife species i.e. okapi, elephant and chimpanzee. Kakule Kasongo, an ICCN ranger who is near the completion of a two year program at Garoua Wildlife College in Cameroon, is leading this survey as part of his academic requirements. Initial results have documented numerous signs of okapi and even occasional sightings. Particularly encouraging is the amount of wildlife being observed in and around areas that were recently occupied by miners and poachers, reinforcing the need for a concerted effort in removing all illegal activities and implementing strategies that prevent unconstrained resource exploitation in the future. It is evident, as indicated in recent surveys, that wildlife populations have the ability to quickly recover if the forest remains intact and can be protected. To read more click here.
- [Closing Down Illegal Mines Protects Okapi Habitat](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/closing-down-illegal-mines-protects-okapi-habitat/) - After a three month amnesty period declared in August of 2014 by Governor Saidi of Orientale Province, a special force of ICCN guards and Congolese military is moving through the Reserve shutting down illegally operated gold mines. From November 14 – 21, Okapi Conservation Project (OCP) educators taught soldiers about the expected “Code of Conduct” in dealing with human rights issues and interacting with local communities. Topics also included background information about conservation laws and the purpose of the Reserve to protect wildlife and habitat
- [Women’s Groups Focus on Resource Conservation](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/womens-groups-focus-on-resource-conservation/) - The Okapi Conservation Project continues supporting organized women’s associations through programs safeguarding water resources from pollution and overuse, and protecting animals of the Ituri landscape. As women’s groups in the Reserve continue to grow, OCP is providing ongoing conservation education and additional resources like sewing materials, bean and vegetable seeds for community gardens to each group. To read more click here.
- [Call to Farmers for Sustainable Agriculture](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/call-to-farmers-for-sustainable-agriculture/) - OCP agronomists and educators organize regular meetings with farmers in remote villages to discuss sustainable agricultural practices. It is widely known that a slash and burn approach has long lasting negative impacts on soil fertility. Crops are more likely to fail due to wind damage, and unnatural crop associations were contributing to impoverished soil fertility in a short period of time. An OCP agronomist explains the benefit of crop rotation, adding nitrogen fixing plants and timing of plantings season as ways of improving crop production and increasing the length of time the soil remains fertile reducing the need to expand their farmland into the forest. To read more click here.
- [Solar Power Installed at the Epulu Health Center](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/solar-power-installed-at-the-epulu-health-center/) - In addition to the medical dispensary, managed by OCP for use by all OCP and ICCN personnel and their families, the village of Epulu has a community health center. The Epulu health center is the only facility within 70 kilometers (43 miles) supported by the OCP physician where minor surgeries can be performed. Responding to requests from local nurses and villagers to improve the facility, OCP recently installed a solar power system to provide light in surgery, waiting and maternity rooms during the evening hours. To read more click here.
- [Okapi Conservation Project Field Report: January 2015](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-field-report-january-2015/) - I traveled to Epulu in January to see first-hand the conditions on the ground and to meet with staff, ICCN leadership and partners to plan activities for 2015. I found the situation much improved and everyday life is mostly back to normal with Congolese army troops assisting ICCN guards in helping to maintain order in and around the Reserve. The road through the Reserve is in good condition and people and goods are moving about with relative ease and safety. The road through the Reserve is closed at night which has cut down on the movement of mining tools, ivory and Bushmeat through the Reserve (all trucks are searched three times transiting the Reserve).
- [Wildlife Response to Improved Security](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/wildlife-response-to-improved-security/) - Okapi need undisturbed tracts of forests to sustain themselves; conservation efforts and protection of the forests from exploitation can only be achieved with the help and involvement of local communities. Progress made by the ICCN and the Congolese army to clear out armed militia, poachers and miners has greatly improved the security situation. As a direct result of improved security, ICCN patrols are able to survey the status of key wildlife species, most importantly okapi, elephant and chimpanzee.
- [Evacuation of Mining Camps – Changing the Dynamic for Conservation](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/evacuation-of-mining-camps-changing-the-dynamic-for-conservation/) - Evacuation of illegal mining camps inside the Reserve was singled out during the 2013 Mambasa meeting called by Governor Saidi as the most important action that will help restore security in the Reserve and protect wildlife and forests from exploitation. Mining Camp Evacuees Mining Camp Evacuees Like other endangered protected areas in DR Congo, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) went through a troubled period due to insecurity and the invasion of the Reserve by illegal miners, uncontrolled immigration, illegal poaching, and resource extractions perpetuated by various armed militias. Among the nearly 70 mining camps which were illegally occupied after the June 24, 2012 attack and subsequent destabilization of the region, ICCN and partners targeted closing the seven biggest camps where the total number of miners was estimated to be around 20,000. Most of the miners came from cities outside the Reserve, and closing the camps does not involve removing local people.
- [The Role of OCP and the STAREC Peace Restoration Program](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/the-role-of-ocp-and-the-starec-peace-restoration-program/) - STAREC is an international peace program which works with many different UN agencies including, UNESCO, International Organization of Migrations, UN-Habitat, World Food Program, United Nations Program for Development, Provincial Government, Mambasa Civil Society and other local NGOs.
- [Educating School Youth and Officials on the Value of Forest Protection](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/educating-school-youth-and-officials-on-the-value-of-forest-protection/) - Okapi Conservation Project educators focus on working with schools in communities that interface with forest resources and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. School youth are considered important message multipliers and future decision-makers. In order to make them aware of conservation issues, OCP educators recently organized a series of conferences on forest protection and management of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve for secondary school children in Isiro, Watsa and Bunia. All three communities are district headquarters for territories that encompass the Reserve
- [Okapi Conservation Project Contributes to Food Security](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-project-contributes-to-food-security/) - Membership in OCP sponsored women's groups has increased to 127 participants. Responding to their expressed needs, the Project has distributed 1000 kg of high-quality bean seeds to groups in Mambasa, Epulu, Niania and Wamba for their community fields. OCP will be providing eight more sewing machines and embroidery material to support the growing enthusiasm of these groups who are attracting the attention of many other organizations and local leaders in the region.
- [Okapi Conservation 2015 Highlights and Accomplishments](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-2015-highlights-and-accomplishments/)
- [Patrol Efforts are Reducing Threats to Okapi and Elephants](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/patrol-efforts-are-reducing-threats-to-okapi-and-elephants/) - In recent months, increased patrols by the Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) targeted poachers and miners resulting in the confiscation of many pieces of ivory and bushmeat and the destruction of poaching and mining camps. Patrols are ongoing and will continue to target elephant poachers and miners that return to work the closed mines. The capacity of ICCN to protect the wildlife was recently enhanced by adding 49 newly trained recruits, increasing both the number of patrols executed as well as the area covered.
- [Addressing Food Security Around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/addressing-food-security-around-the-okapi-wildlife-reserve/) - Assisting communities to improve their food security decreases the need for people to be involved in illegal activities to support their families. Okapi Conservation Project’s (OCP) agroforestry program’s success makes it attractive to struggling communities in remote areas, allowing OCP educators to make inroads into areas of the Reserve where villages have not previously been receptive to conservation efforts. Building the capacity of local communities to sustainably manage their food resources helps OCP meet its conservation objective to conserve critical okapi habitat.
- [Rehabilitated African Grey Parrots Fly Free](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/rehabilitated-african-grey-parrots-fly-free/) - Last year 100 grey parrots were confiscated by ICCN at the vehicle check point in Epulu.
- [OCP Organizes Security Collaboration Meeting in Mambasa](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/ocp-organizes-security-collaboration-meeting-in-mambasa/) - Okapi Conservation Project (OCP) organized a two-day workshop with all security services in Mambasa, DRC on March 2 & 3, 2016. This meeting addressed current management problems in the Reserve, while clarifying its legal statutes and access to natural resources by local communities.
- [Field Report: July 2016](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/field-report-july-2016/) - Impressive efforts from the ICCN rangers and Congolese soldiers to reduce the threats from rogue militias and gangs of poachers over the last six months has started to produce results. Reports from OCP staff confirm that security is holding, and the region around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve is safe with very few incidents of violence.
- [Initial Phase of Camera Trap Study Proves Successful](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/initial-phase-of-camera-trap-study-proves-successful/) - On my trip to DR Congo in July, I brought in 5 camera traps, metal ‘bear proof’ housings, spare batteries, cables, locks and memory cards. The camera brand ‘Covert’ did not go over very well with Congolese custom officials, but nonetheless with a lot of unpacking and repacking to satisfy security checks along the way, all five cameras and accessories made it to Epulu.
- [Rebuilding the Zunguluka Guard Post](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/rebuilding-the-zunguluka-guard-post/) - In January 2015, the Zunguluka guard post was attacked and burned by Maimai militia. In a show of solidarity following the attack, after security had been reestablished in the area, OCP workers and carpenters rebuilt the 6 guard housing blocks that were damaged.
- [Agroforestry Popularity and Empowering Women through Enterprise](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/agroforestry-popularity-and-empowering-women-through-enterprise/) - The success of the agroforestry program has contributed to a greater awareness of the damaging effects of slash in burn agriculture within the Reserve and an interest among farmers in improving agriculture production.
- [Okapi Conservation Project's 2016 Highlights and Accomplishments](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-projects-2016-highlights-and-accomplishments/)
- [Central Integral Conservation Area – 24 Years in the Making](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/central-integral-conservation-area-24-years-in-the-making/) - When the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) was created almost 25 years ago, it was envisioned that someday a portion of the Reserve would receive protected status similar to that of a National Park. As a Wildlife Reserve certain human activities are allowed – limited agriculture, collecting firewood, collecting medicinal plants, developing sources for drinking water and sustainable hunting by the indigenous Mbuti and Efe pygmies.
- [John Lukas Speaks on the Okapi Conservation Project at WCN SF Expo 2015](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/john-lukas-speaks-on-the-okapi-conservation-project-at-wcn-sf-expo-2015/)
- [Local Demonstrations Push Rebel Attacks to Forefront](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/local-demonstrations-push-rebel-attacks-to-forefront/)
- [Okapi Conservation Project Wins Mongabay's 2012 Conservation Award](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/okapi-conservation-program-wins-mongabays-2012-conservation-award/)
- [Watch John Lukas Speak about the OCP at WCN Expo 2012](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/watch-john-lukas-speak-about-the-ocp-at-wcn-expo-2012/)

## Pages

- [Homepage](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/) - Wildlife Conservation Global, Inc. supports the Okapi Conservation Project (OCP) which works with the Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICCN) and local communities throughout the Okapi Wildlife Reserve - a 13,700-sq-km swathe of the Ituri Forest in northeastern DRC - to ensure the protection of the okapi and many other species in this equatorial rainforest.
- [Partners](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/partners/) - Partners in Conservation with Wildlife Conservation Global
- [User Privacy Center](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/user-privacy-center/)
- [Request confirmation](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/request-confirmation/)
- [T&C Acceptance](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/tc-acceptance/)
- [Donate](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/donate/) - Donation page for Wildlife Conservation Global and Okapi Conservation Project
- [Contact Us](https://www.wildlifeglobal.org/contact-us/)

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