Latest addition to the PACE Living with Wildlife module.
We are super excited to have completed the English edition of our new Okapi resource. It is a joint publication with the Okapi Conservation Project in the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are based in north western DRC, in the Ituri Forest, one of few sites where the forest dwelling Okapi can be found.
Okapi are fascinating creatures, quiet, shy animals that live in the dense rain forest in certain parts of north and north east DRC– nowhere else. They look a bit like a small horse, have stripes like a zebra, but are related to giraffe. They are the only close living relative of giraffes!
Okapi are a flagship for the extraordinary forest ecosystem they call home – which is one of the most biodiverse on the planet. They are an important symbol of national heritage in DRC, many businesses and products, even a radio station are named after them. The O’api, as it is known to the local people, is the spirit of the forest. Yet as people move to the forest area from elsewhere, and struggle to support themselves, Okapi numbers have declined. There are more people, and more human activities in and around the forest. The Okapi Conservation Project’s work is vital, they support rangers and work with local communities to improve their standards of living in ways that protect the Okapi, the forest and other wildlife. They will receive french copies of this resource to use in schools and outreach, to teach and remind those who have lost their connection with the great O’api .
