World Okapi Day
October 18
Although a respected cultural symbol of the only country in which it is found, the okapi’s livelihood is threatened by slash-and-burn agriculture, illegal gold mining, and bushmeat poaching, despite its protected status since 1933.
That’s why we created World Okapi Day.
The day is centered around celebrating this special animal and using it as a flagship species to protect the entire forest ecosystem in which it lives. Fun, exciting activities are planned in towns and villages around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve and are combined with educational messaging targeting key demographics including children, women, Mbuti, and communities in and around the Reserve.
People all over the Reserve are excited to celebrate the okapi on World Okapi Day. World Okapi Day is a chance for the people in the region to celebrate their national animal, the beauty of their natural environment, the culture and traditions of the Mbuti, and their hard work in conservation.
But World Okapi Day is also a chance for people all over the world to celebrate! Join us in our effort to educate about and protect the endangered okapi! We want to know what you are doing to celebrate the day.
How can you help okapi?
Tell your family and friends about the okapi.
Visit your nearest zoo or okapi holding facility. See our list of partners and supporters in North America, Europe, and Asia here.
Recycle your old cell phones – they contain coltan, a dull, black metallic ore mined in the forests of DRC that is used in every electronic devices. Recycling your phones and electronic devices reuses much of the material and can reduce impacts on the forest.
Post your best okapi photos on social media and use the hashtags #OkapiConservation and #WorldOkapiDay on all your okapi-related posts.
Give a monetary gift to the Okapi Conservation Project by visiting by clicking here. One hundred percent of the proceeds go to help protect okapi and its habitat.
Host your own okapi awareness event! Get creative! And be sure to share with us what you did! Take photos and email them to info@okapiconservation.org and you may be featured on our social media channels!
Celebrating World Okapi Day?
Tag us and use the hashtags below to share your celebrations! Follow us on social media to experience the celebrations across the Reserve!
Facebook: @okapiconservationproject
Instagram: @okapiconservation
Twitter: @okapiproject
Hashtags: #WorldOkapiDay #WOD2023 #OkapiConservation #JourneeMondialedelOkapi
Make a Contribution
Support Okapi Conservation Project today and help protect the endangered okapi and their rainforest home.