www.UYaU.com Travel Tips
UYaU Travel Tips

The okapi was one of the last mammals to be "discovered" by the scientific community (1900). It lives in the dense rainforests of northern Zaire. It is so shy and secretive that very little is known of its lifestyle. It is also one of the world's rarest animals found in captivity. There are about 30 000 in the wild (1997).

>>> English |uyau.com b5|uyau.com gb
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
(Democratic Republic of the Congo)
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a World Heritage Site in the Ituri Forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the borders with Sudan and Uganda.

Brief Description
The Okapi Wildlife Reserve occupies about one-fifth of the Ituri forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Congo river basin, of which the reserve and forest are a part, is one of the largest drainage systems in Africa. The reserve contains threatened species of primates and birds and about 5,000 of the estimated 30,000 okapi surviving in the wild. It also has some dramatic scenery, including waterfalls on the Ituri and Epulu rivers. The reserve is inhabited by traditional nomadic pygmy Mbuti and Efe hunters.

Threats to the Site
The Committee inscribed the Okapi Wildlife Reserve on the List of World Heritage in Danger, one year after giving it World Heritage status, due to reports that the armed conflict, which spread to the eastern parts of the country in early 1997, had led to the looting of facilities and the killing of elephants in this site. Most of the staff have fled the Reserve. There have also been reports of gold mining. In the latter part of 1998 however, as a result of renewed fighting in the area, equipment donated by international conservation NGOs has been looted and the staff who were in the process of reviving conservation activities had to be evacuated.

Justification for Inscription
The Committee inscribed the property as one of the most important sites for conservation, including the rare Okapi and rich floral diversity, under natural criterion (x). The Committee expressed its hope that the activities outlined in the new management plan would ensure the integrity of the site. Considering the civil unrest in the country, the question of the long-term security of the site was raised.

Okapi Wildlife Reserve

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, created in 1992 to protect the most intact natural habitat of the okapi, encompasses a 13,700 square kilometer section of the Ituri Forest in the northeastern portion of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the very heart of Africa . Listed as a World Heritage Site in 1996, the Reserve represents a global effort to preserve rare plant and animal life and a significant human culture.

Over 1,500 species of plants and animals, including the elusive okapi, are only found in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The Reserve harbors a healthy population of about 5,000 okapi, 4,000 elephants, 2,000 leopards, 13 primate species including chimpanzees, three species of crocodile, and may other rainforest species such as forest buffalo, water chevrotain, and a wide variety of birds and insects. It is the most important site for bird conservation in mainland Africa . The Ituri Forest is also the cultural center of the Mbuti and Efe pygmies, some of the very last truly “forest people” left on earth.



The Okapi Wildlife Reserve encompasses 13,700 square kilometers of the Ituri Forest in northeast Democratic Republic of Congo.



Share your photos with the people who matter...
African Animal Okapi
African Animal Okapi

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve, created in 1992 to protect the most intact natural habitat of the okapi, encompasses a 13,700 square kilometer section of the Ituri Forest in the northeastern portion of the Democratic Republic of Congo, in the very heart of Africa . Listed as a World Heritage Site in 1996, the Reserve represents a global effort to preserve rare plant and animal life and a significant human culture.
African Animals
African Animals

Chimpanzees are just one of thirteen species of primates found in the OWR, many of them endemic to the region.
African Animals 2
African Animals 2

The Okapi Wildlife Reserve is a World Heritage Site in the Ituri Forest in the north-east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, near the borders with Sudan and Uganda. At a size of approximately 14,000 km², it covers approximately one fifth of the area of the forest.
African Animals by Google Earth
African Animals by Google Earth

After six years of intense civil war, relative peace has returned to the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. All military personnel are out of the Reserve and are being disarmed and disbanded. Rosie Ruf, the Okapi Project Coordinator, and the Reserve's staff are now working with steadfast devotion to bring the Reserve back into full operation.
Okapi Wildlife Reserve
Okapi Wildlife Reserve

The okapi, however, is much smaller than its famous cousin, and its neck is not nearly as long. Its most striking feature is the broad white stripes on its legs and rump. These contrast with its nearly-black body. The okapi has a blue-black tongue which is about a foot long. The tongue can be wrapped around branches and vines which enables the gentle herbivore to strip the leaves and buds into its mouth. The okapi can even clean its eyes with its tongue.
African Buffalo Herd
African Buffalo Herd
Artist Simon Combes - African Wildlife
In 1940 Simon Combes was born in “Wilderness Cottage”, in Shaftesbury, England, and from that day in June, the Wilderness always attracted him. His first adventures began early when in 1946 when his parents moved onto farming Kenya's Great Rift Valley, a magical place for a young boy. Simon loathed his years at boarding school in Nakuru and at Duke of York in Nairobi, always longing for the freedom of the bush. While managing a 2,000 acre farm when he was seventeen, he was drafted into six months compulsory military training after already applying for appointment in the Kings African Rifles.
Simon Combes Arts
Simon Combes Arts
Artist Simon Combes - African Wildlife
He was accepted into 4 KAR but having just finished his training was sent to Uganda where one of his duties was to teach basic etiquette and rugby to a young Idi Amin. Sandhurst Military Academy was next and upon return to Kenya joined 3 KAR in time for Kenya's Independence. In 1964 he was chosen to train 250 soldiers as Paratroopers. They all attended parachute school UK. Simon translated all the instruction into Kiswahili. When all the men were qualified, he became their first commander in Kenya.
African Animals Simon
African Animals Simon
Artist Simon Combes - African Wildlife
Immediately they were involved in the Shifta war in the northeastern province. It was during this time Simon started to draw and paint as a hobby to occupy his spare time. His subjects were the Somali and Boran people and the landscapes of the North. In 1969 he had an exhibition in Nairobi and sold all the paintings. It was then that the idea of painting full-time started. However, he was refused release from the army and was moved to army HQ as staff officer in charge of all operations and training.
African Animals Simon 3
African Animals Simon 3
Artist Simon Combes - African Wildlife
He was also captain of the army shooting team and vice chairman to the Kenya Rifle Association. He performed the duties of a Lieutenant Colonel. He has been called a “True Kenyan” by his military peers. Finally, in 1974 he was released from the army and started life as a professional artist. Best known for his stunning images wildlife in the African bush, he achieved worldwide success and acclamation through many prestigious awards. His paintings hang in private and museum collections around the globe.
African Animals Simon 2
African Animals Simon 2
Artist Simon Combes - African Wildlife
Since 1979, The Greenwich Workshop, Inc, have published his works as Fine Art Reproductions on paper and canvas. He always said, if given the time he would rather write than paint. This talent is apparent in his books “An African Experience” and “Great Cats” also published by The Greenwich Workshop, Inc. Simon was also working on a book of Limericks about life in Kenya which reveals his ability to entertain us with his wit and humor.
 
©2007 Powered by UYaU.com. All Rights Reserved.