Samarkand, Uzbekistan, November 17, 2025 — The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) is calling for the adoption of a proposal submitted by the Government of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) to list the endangered okapi (Okapia johnstoni) on Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)—a move that would prohibit all international commercial trade in okapis or their parts. The species is already listed at the highest level of protection by national law in the country.

The proposal will be considered by the 185 member Governments at CITES CoP20, taking place November 24–December 5, 2025, in Samarkand, Uzbekistan.

“The okapi’s small and declining population, and increasingly restricted range make it exceptionally vulnerable,” said Dr. Susan Lieberman, WCS Vice President for International Policy. “CITES remains a vital instrument for conserving wildlife threatened by international trade, and we appreciate the initiative of the DRC Government to submit this proposal. Appendix I listing will help ensure that okapis are protected for generations to come. We are asking all Parties at CITES to vote yes on Proposal 5 to list the Okapi on Appendix 1.”

The okapi, the giraffe’s only living relative, is found only in the forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The species faces ongoing threats from hunting, illegal trade, and habitat loss. An Appendix I listing would represent the highest level of international protection under CITES, helping to close enforcement gaps and safeguard this unique species from overexploitation for international trade.

The okapi’s proposed listing is supported by its Endangered status on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species and by data from the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (Congo Institute for the Conservation of Nature, ICCN) and partners, who are leading conservation work across critical protected areas, including the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR) and Lomami National Park.

WCS has worked for over 30 years in partnership with ICCN to conserve okapis within their most important stronghold. Together, WCS and ICCN co-manage the Okapi Wildlife Reserve (OWR)—a 14,000-square-kilometer (about 5400 square miles) UNESCO World Heritage Site that harbors what is likely the largest okapi population on earth, along with numerous other threatened wildlife species. The site is home to the Indigenous Mbuti and Efe communities.

Okapi are also found in Lomami National Park, Maiko National Park, and several other protected areas across the Congo Basin.

“For the people of the Ituri Forest, the okapi is not just a national symbol—it is a source of pride and identity,” said Dr. Jean Paul Kibambe, WCS DRC Country Director. “The proposed CITES Appendix I listing is vital to prevent international criminals from trafficking this species across borders and will reinforce the tireless work of Congolese conservationists and communities safeguarding this unique species.”

At CITES CoP20, WCS will support a range of government-led proposals to strengthen protections for endangered wildlife—including the okapi, all Galapagos iguanas, African hornbills, hinge-backed tortoises, eel species, and over 70 species of sharks and rays. WCS will oppose proposals that could reopen trade in elephant ivory or saiga horns, both of which are currently prohibited under CITES.

WCS—whose staff have participated in every CITES Conference of the Parties since CoP7 in 1989—will send a team of global wildlife and policy experts to Samarkand. WCS continues to provide science-based recommendations and to support governments, Indigenous Peoples, and local communities in strengthening wildlife trade regulations worldwide, and to help ensure that species in the wild are not threatened by international trade.

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