OKapi National Reserve

Okapi Wildlife Reserve is one of Africa's protected areas situated in the Northeastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) covering an area of approximately 13,726 square kilometers (1,372,625 hectares) of the Ituri Forest one of Africa's largest remaining tropical rainforests.

The reserve was founded in 1992 and protects rare wildlife, supports indigenous communities and plays a vital role in conserving the Congo Basin rainforest. The Congo river basin, of which the reserve and forest are a part, is one of the largest drainage systems in Africa.

In the reserve are primates, birds and about 5,000 of the estimated 30,000 okapi surviving in the wild. You shall view the dramatic scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters.

Location and Geography

Okapi Wildlife Reserve is situated within the Ituri Province found in Northeastern DR Congo and known to be a vast tropical rainforest that forms part of the Congo Basin—the world's second-largest rainforest after the Amazon. The reserve contains dense evergreen forests, swamp forests, rivers, waterfalls, and natural forest clearings known locally as "edos."

The reserve was established to protect the unique biodiversity of the Ituri Forest and safeguard the habitat of the okapi, one of the world's rarest mammals. It was created through cooperation between the Congolese government, conservation organizations and local communities who recognized the need to preserve this unique ecosystem.

The reserve is named after the okapi (Okapia johnstoni), an elusive mammal found only in the rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. These look like the zebras because of the striped legs and are a close relative to the giraffes.

The reserve is believed to protect roughly one-sixth of the world's remaining wild okapi population. These shy animals feed mainly on leaves, fruits, buds, fungi and ferns. Their excellent hearing and camouflage help them survive in the dense forest where they are rarely seen by humans.

Rich Biodiversity

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is among Africa's richest biodiversity hotspots. The reserve has more than 100 mammal species, around 376 bird species, seventeen species of primates, numerous reptiles, amphibians, fish and insects, thousands of plant species.