Conservation
The okapi is a very unique and decently rare animal in its home
range which is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. They are
located deep within the Congo rainforest which is the reason
that they seem rare. They are hard to find but the estimated
worldwide population is about 10,000-20,000 animals (Okapi
Preservation, 2011). The okapi are currently not defined as
threatened or endangered by international agreement, but the
okapi is protected by law in the Democratic Republic of the
Congo due to the large amount of poaching on the animal (Okapi
Preservation, 2011). There is a large amount of poaching due to
the desire for the fur/skin of the okapi. The okapi has a very
unique look with zebra-like patterns on its back legs, bottom of
the front legs, and shiny brown fur on the rest of its body.
Currently there is a pretty decent amount of research going into
okapi behavior and habitat in order to better understand how the
okapi survives and how we can save this species. The okapi has
one natural predator, the leopard, but its biggest threat is
deforestation. The main effort to help the okapi is the “Okapi
Conservation Project”. The Okapi Conservation Project was
founded in 1987. Their main goal is to show and elicit support
for the preservation of wild okapi and for zoological
organizations around the world (Okapi Conservation Project,
2012). The biggest triumph so far by this group was the
establishment of the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The reserve
encompasses 13,700 square kilometers in the Ituri forest in the
Congo River basin. In 1996, the reserve was designated as a
United Nations World Heritage Site. The Okapi Conservation
Project employs one hundred ten wardens to help protect the
okapi and multiple other forms of flora and fauna in the
Okapi Wildlife Reserve, such as, the
coffee tree (Okapi Conservation Project, 2012).
The Institute in Congo for the Conservation of Nature (ICNN)
provides the funding for guards to protect the Okapi Wildlife
Preserve. The guards travel through the preserve with several
goals. They collect snares and traps while arresting and
pursuing poachers (Okapi Conservation Project, 2012). Since the
end to the Congo’s civil war in 2004 there has been a high
demand for materials such as metal ores and coal. The preserve
is rich in these resources so illegal mining is very common in
this region. The guards are also responsible for evicting these
miners because of its detrimental effects of the environment
(Okapi Conservation Project, 2012). The guards are not only for
protecting the preserve and arresting poachers. Since they know
the terrain and landscape of the preserve well, the guards are
an invaluable resource in
guiding biologists during the numerous
wildlife studies that occur here. Many of the studies revolve
around the okapi’s habitat. If more is known about the okapi’s
habitat then preservation efforts can be focused to maximize the
effects of dollars spent on preservation. The okapi’s
reproductive habits are also being studied now. The okapi has a
very long gestation period and very little else is known about
their mating patterns. To learn more about the reproductive
habits of the species, a male okapi was released that has
certain genetic markers that should be transmitted to the young.
This should help show how much males reproduce and see if okapi
are monogamous or not (Okapi Conservation Project, 2012).
The okapi is a mysterious animal and not much research has been
done on it so far. The Okapi Conservation Project is trying to
change this and bring more awareness to the okapi and its needs.
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a good start at conserving this
unique animal but, more research needs to be done to adequately
protect the okapi. These studies are currently in progress
within the preserve. With support from the United Nations and
the ICCN along with the protection of the preserve by the loyal
guards the okapi has a bright and optimistic future.
