Illegal Mining Threatens Okapi Wildlife Reserve in Ituri
In Ituri province, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (RFO) faces illegal mining activities, according to whistleblowers who exposed this information on July 28. They claim that the Military Governor ordered a mission on July 23 to legalize mining in the reserve.
The Governor’s Spokesperson clarified that the mission aimed only to verify the boundaries of the reserve, located in the Mambasa territory.
“This mission is to demarcate the limits of the RFO because some are exploiting without knowing if they are within the RFO or a prohibited zone. Our goal is to clearly define the RFO boundaries and allow lawful activities,” he emphasized.
The whistleblowers suggest the mission had ulterior motives, noting it occurred two months after the RFO management refused a mining request in Bapela village, located within the reserve.
The Spokesperson urged patience until the mission concludes. “We’ll know after this mission who exploited where and when, and where some should not exploit. The RFO is a large institution, and we must use archives for concerted demarcation,” he reassured.
Covering 14,000 square kilometers, the Okapi Wildlife Reserve, established in 1991, occupies about a fifth of the Ituri Forest in the northwestern DRC. It is home to endangered species of primates, birds, and approximately 5,000 okapis out of the 30,000 remaining in the wild.
