Okapi Wildlife Reserve

A protected area in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that conserves part of the Ituri Forest and wildlife including the okapi.

Mbuti people: Indigenous peoples of the Ituri Forest whose livelihoods and cultures are closely connected to the forest. Mbuti communities live in and around the reserve and depend on its forest resources.
Protected area: A geographically defined space managed to conserve nature and associated cultural values. The reserve is a legally designated protected area with conservation objectives.
Democratic Republic of the Congo: A country in Central Africa, bordered by nine countries and containing much of the Congo Basin rainforest. The reserve is located in the country’s northeastern Ituri region.
List of World Heritage in Danger: A UNESCO list identifying World Heritage properties facing serious and specific threats. The reserve was added in 1997 amid conflict and escalating threats to its wildlife.
Epulu Okapi Breeding Station: A facility at Epulu established to study and breed okapis in a protected forest setting. It became a prominent conservation center within the reserve.
Epulu River: A river in the Ituri Forest that flows through the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Its valley and surrounding forest form a distinctive part of the protected landscape.
Community-based conservation: An approach to nature conservation that involves local communities in decisions and benefits. Local participation is central to managing forest use around the reserve.
Ituri Province: A province in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo, bordering Uganda and South Sudan. The reserve occupies part of this province.
Biodiversity of the Democratic Republic of the Congo: The variety of ecosystems and species found within the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The reserve protects a nationally and globally significant share of this biodiversity.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve massacre: A 2012 attack at the reserve’s headquarters in Epulu that killed people and captive okapis. The attack exposed the direct human and wildlife costs of insecurity.

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