World Okapi Day 2023
With the arrival of October 18th, the Reserve brims with collective cheer and inspiration.
Our teams have returned from World Okapi Day celebrations in eight villages and towns around the Reserve. This year, we felt it important to rotate the celebrations to new places we haven’t been able to reach in previous years’ celebrations. The sites this year included Badengaido, Banana, Bayenga, Betongwe, Apodo, Durba, Nduye and Dingbo - responding to both local partner recommendations and the enthusiastic requests of communities eager to participate in the event.
Street procession in Betongwe
Celebrations continue to be a testament to the power of community commitment as local youth, chiefs, indigenous peoples, women’s associations, administrative authorities, media representatives, and governing authorities unite to celebrate okapi and their rainforest habitat. Activities were designed for inclusive engagement, featuring conservation presentations, girls' and boys' races, women's soccer matches, and traditional dances by the indigenous Mbuti and Efe peoples.
Mbuti traditional dance in Nduye.
Aside from joyful commemoration, the festivities served as a call to action for continued vigilance and community involvement in the face of conservation challenges facing okapi. Major threats include habitat loss due to logging and human settlement, poaching for bushmeat and skins, and the presence of illegal armed groups around protected areas. These challenges, though daunting, are met with determination and a unified effort to safeguard okapi. Together, we can ensure a future for okapi.
We thank you for your ongoing support in our shared mission for wildlife conservation!
Indigenous Mbuti in Badengaido
World Okapi Day in Bayenga
Street Procession in Bandisende
Epulu-based OCP staff on World Okapi Day
