The Indigenous Mbuti

The Ituri Forest is also the cultural center of the Mbuti and Efe indigenous peoples, who have shared their rainforest home with the okapi for over 40,000 years. They are true hunter-gatherers and deep forest-dwellers living traditional lifestyles, and OCP works in partnership with the Mbuti to help protect the forest for okapi and people. Their knowledge of the forest is surpassed by none, and often act as guides and trackers for OCP staff and ICCN ecoguards. Several Mbuti have become ecoguards themselves.

The Mbuti are net hunters unlike their bow hunting Efe neighbors in the north eastern Ituri Forest. Net hunting requires the cooperation of the entire community as they must work together to complete a hunt. This leads the Mbuti to live a rather egalitarian lifestyle, where resources are shared amongst the group. Many Mbuti groups exist within the Ituri Forest, operating independently of each other, but coming in contact frequently. The Mbuti work with us to ensure wildlife populations are managed by only hunting during certain seasons and in specific areas.

Okapi are considered sacred to the Mbuti, believing them to be spirits of the forest. They are forbidden to hunt.