FA+
Shop
Okapi Conservation Project Update – December 13, 2012
13 years ago
General
Dear Princess Celestia
Okapi Conservation Project
Update: December 13, 2012
OCP facilities in Epulu, D R Congo are nearly all repaired and rebuilding of ICCN headquarters is planned to begin in January with support from USFWS. It has been a very difficult and challenging year but the OCP staff and ICCN rangers have responded with great courage and determination. A stronger commitment to conservation is emerging in the communities around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve as they have taken on a greater role in safeguarding the forest home of the okapi. The resilience of the Congolese people to keep going day in and day out, to smile, to work hard to make a living in such a difficult and threatening environment is well beyond amazing!
As you may be aware if you have been following the news from DRC, the M23 rebel group, a disenfranchised unit of the Congolese army, briefly occupied the city of Goma, in south Kivu province, a few weeks ago. International pressure on Rwanda and Uganda helped to diffuse the threat of this group, which withdrew from Goma and is presently discussing their grievances with government officials. The rebel advance did not affect the region around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, which lies 260 miles northwest of Goma.
FARDC soldiers and ICCN rangers have spent the past four months pursuing the Mai Mai poachers, and their leader Paul “Morgan” Sadala, that brutally attacked the Epulu Station on June 24th. These forces have been hampered by the rainy season, but were able to drive the rebels out of the Reserve more than a 30 day walk from Epulu inflicting casualties and confiscating many weapons along the way. It is now the start of the dry season and a third joint operation is underway, made up of FARDC soldiers and ICCN rangers which are very determined to find and arrest the remaining poachers and their leader. Security for the residents of the areas within and around the Reserve has been greatly improved, the bridge over the Epulu River has been repaired and rebuilding of damaged structures in Epulu is now underway.
Our focus for 2013 will be to increase support for ICCN as they work to protect the integrity of the entire Okapi Wildlife Reserve and to broaden our social programs of empowerment. As people have increased income to educate and feed their families they become better stewards of their forest surroundings and supporters of our conservation efforts. In this way all benefit, especially okapi, forest elephants, chimpanzees and all wildlife living in the OWR.
On behalf of all of our staff, ICCN rangers and the communities around the Reserve I sincerely thank our friends, supporters and partners for the outpouring of support we have received these past months during this challenging time. We could not have been able to carry on without you!
Wishing you the best for this holiday season and into the New Year,
John Lukas
Update: December 13, 2012
OCP facilities in Epulu, D R Congo are nearly all repaired and rebuilding of ICCN headquarters is planned to begin in January with support from USFWS. It has been a very difficult and challenging year but the OCP staff and ICCN rangers have responded with great courage and determination. A stronger commitment to conservation is emerging in the communities around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve as they have taken on a greater role in safeguarding the forest home of the okapi. The resilience of the Congolese people to keep going day in and day out, to smile, to work hard to make a living in such a difficult and threatening environment is well beyond amazing!
As you may be aware if you have been following the news from DRC, the M23 rebel group, a disenfranchised unit of the Congolese army, briefly occupied the city of Goma, in south Kivu province, a few weeks ago. International pressure on Rwanda and Uganda helped to diffuse the threat of this group, which withdrew from Goma and is presently discussing their grievances with government officials. The rebel advance did not affect the region around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, which lies 260 miles northwest of Goma.
FARDC soldiers and ICCN rangers have spent the past four months pursuing the Mai Mai poachers, and their leader Paul “Morgan” Sadala, that brutally attacked the Epulu Station on June 24th. These forces have been hampered by the rainy season, but were able to drive the rebels out of the Reserve more than a 30 day walk from Epulu inflicting casualties and confiscating many weapons along the way. It is now the start of the dry season and a third joint operation is underway, made up of FARDC soldiers and ICCN rangers which are very determined to find and arrest the remaining poachers and their leader. Security for the residents of the areas within and around the Reserve has been greatly improved, the bridge over the Epulu River has been repaired and rebuilding of damaged structures in Epulu is now underway.
Our focus for 2013 will be to increase support for ICCN as they work to protect the integrity of the entire Okapi Wildlife Reserve and to broaden our social programs of empowerment. As people have increased income to educate and feed their families they become better stewards of their forest surroundings and supporters of our conservation efforts. In this way all benefit, especially okapi, forest elephants, chimpanzees and all wildlife living in the OWR.
On behalf of all of our staff, ICCN rangers and the communities around the Reserve I sincerely thank our friends, supporters and partners for the outpouring of support we have received these past months during this challenging time. We could not have been able to carry on without you!
Wishing you the best for this holiday season and into the New Year,
John Lukas
