WCN Wildlife Conservation Network | Okapi Conservation Project

The spirit of innovation in conservation

John Lukas

John Lukas has been active in international conservation for over twenty-five years. He founded the Okapi Conservation Project in 1987. He is also a co-founder and serves as a Board Member of the Wildlife Conservation Network. His expansive experience with wildlife includes directorship of the White Oak Conservation Center in Yulee, Florida, a world premier facility for wildlife breeding and research on endangered species.

Watch John Lukas'
2012 Expo Presentation

Threats

Found only in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the okapi is a shy and elusive forest dweller and the only living relative of the giraffe. Its unusual coloration and markings, including stripes resembling a zebra, provide camouflage in the dense rainforest. It is vulnerable to pressures from natural resource extraction and over a decade of civil unrest.

Solutions

In 1992, the Okapi Conservation Project (OCP) created the Okapi Wildlife Reserve to provide shelter to the species in its native habitat, the Ituri Forest. To support the Okapi's long-term survival, OCP trains and equips wildlife guards and provides assistance to improve the lives of neighboring communities. It raises awareness of threats to the okapi and teaches alternative agricultural practices to preserve the ecosystem.

Recovery Continues in the Congo

Last June the Okapi Wildlife Reserve in the Democratic Republic of Congo was attacked by a group of poachers and illegal gold miners led by a former elephant poacher who operates under the nom de guerre Morgan. The area remains unstable, but an outpouring of support has helped the Okapi Conservation Project work with the devastated community and begin to rebuild the Reserve. John Lukas, founder of the Okapi Conservation Project, recently visited DR Congo. Read his latest update on the situation there.

Photo: OCP