The Okapi Reserve

Category: Epulu, Rangers | Date: May 26 2007 | By: admin

Presently, I would like to share with you this favorable moment that I am enjoying. As my background, I am a teacher of formation but only joining conservation ground since 1994 as a field Ranger in Okapi wildlife Reserve.

Mr. Marcel ENCKOTO on picture below is one of the person’s who invested his effort to me as my Teacher in Mandima Institute during the 1984 years , and then meet each other in Okapi Reserve as conservationists. He is the Assistant of the GIC Director for 4 years ,and the Education Program Coordinator. Really, he deserves his……..

from left : Somba and Mr. Marcel Enckoto

reading the nomination decision .

That I am enjoying is my recent nomination on the rank of Conservator and Deputy Warden of Okapi Wildlife Reserve. My gratitude must go straightly to Mr. Cosmas Wilingula the General Administrator of the ICCN/Kinshasa with his team who after deliberation saw the necessity of crowning me of this rank for the benefit of Okapi Wildlife Reserve in particular and for the ICCN in general. I was not alone, but with some Officers and Field Rangers.

The Senior Warden Mr. Mapilanga hands the nomination letter to C. Somba on parade.

from left Officers Amboya , Abeli, Alio , Somba and Banyanito .

“First of all ,promotion must be deserved, and is the fruit of the individual effort” said Mr. Mapilanga (senior warden) on parade of 18th. As I underlined earlier, 20 rangers were also crowning accordingly. Let me tell you that such promotion is a part of personal motivation, and I can imagine the moral of those who did not be promoted. Surely, they are stressed, but the Senior Warden encouraged them to work hardly.

More over, I am seeing the heavy burden on my shoulder, but with support of other colleagues and yours, I am convinced to win the game.

Somba

No responses yet

Category: General | Date: May 22 2007 | By: admin

She was born in Mambasa on 1945, and married to Mr. DJAFARI MWENDENDA during the colonial period in DRCongo. Mother of 8 kids whose: 4 boys and 4 daughters. I am the 4th born. Her husband passed away since 1988 and buried in Mambasa town. Mum Salama did her best to support school fees until 4 of us succeeded to graduate.

Mum SALAMA ZUENA : 3 Months before her sickness

What remains engraved in my heart is only her devotion to take care of her grandsons (25) during her life. She could not eat a banana without a little bit to the opportunist grandson, African as she was, is not dieing but going somewhere with all benediction

Mum Salama in hospital

She was suffering from chickenpox for almost 3 weeks. The treatment of this sickness was well but 2 weeks later she got weak and weak, and then died in Mambasa hospital around 4:00pm of 8th May, 2007.

The funeral took place on 9th of May, 2007 and I was not around. She was Muslim, and only her church brothers could bury her in our native locality Bavalakaniki. The Muslim doctrine does not allow woman accompanies a late to the graveyard reason why only men surround the coffin.

Faithful muslim surround the coffin

Women stand by under tree regreating the death

Grrandchildren crying their groundmother

After the burying ceremony, I was arriving from Wamba (North sector of the Reserve) and went to see the grave. It was not easy to me understanding the situation, pure for my young brother studying in Kisangani University who did not assist until know to the ceremony.

Somba in front of the grave.

The Islam culture advances that 3 days later, people can meet and read the holy Koran for the late. So, we organize it on 13th of May, 2007 and divide up the food prepared accordingly.

Cooking time of beaf meat, beans , rice ……

Grandchildren busy eating.

Atmosphere after the ceremony

Somba thinking about the death of his Mum….

After all, I remained thinking particularly to those grandsons left by my big brother who again passed away on 2000, and were in full responsibility of this late woman .Any way, I shoulder this heavy responsibility.

My last wish is to see again my Mum if possible, if no …I exhort the God of my ancestors to keep in peace her heart.

Somba

Technorati : congo, epulu, okapi. wildlifedirect

No responses yet

Category: Epulu, General, Ranger Patrols, Rangers | Date: May 18 2007 | By: admin

An Intelligence training was organizing in Epulu under the auspices of the UNESCO via Gilman International Conservation one of the Partner of ICCN/RFO. Paul Naish a citizen of

South Africa was the lecturer helped by the interpreter John Peter Bugogo. The COCOSI /RFO (Site Coordination Comity) met first with the team, this to introduce them to the Coordination team of the Reserve. In this context the Senior Warden Mr. Mapilanga asked Mr. Paul Naish to explain the framework of the course to the present comity.

Paul Naish talking with the RFO coordination comity

Mr.Mubalama Kakira from the General Direction of Kinshasa and Mr. Somba

comenting on the intelligence session

11 Rangers selected, and participated actively in the session and the result was good. “I’ve never seen an active class like this ….”Said Mr. Paul during the closing ceremony. English was the lecturing language with interpreting in French or Swahili respectively by JP Bugogo and Somba (one of the student)

One of the objectives of the course was to establish a network system in and around the Reserve. The course consisted of theory and practical work where by traveling to the nearest villagers and see what things are going on, especially on illegal activity…

One of the objectives of the course was to establish a network system in and around the Reserve. The course consisted to theory and practical work where by traveling to the nearest villagers and see how things are going on especially on illegal activity…

Paul briefing students before leaving the RFO station for the field

On February 2007, the senior Warden Mr. Mapilanga and his Deputy Warden Mr. Somba organized a mission around the Reserve with the aim of recruiting informers according to the criteria learned that means: where to recruit? who? how ?…. also the Management seized the opportunity to contact politics, customers and clergy authorities as stakeholders of the community. By this, I mean first sensitizing them for the wise use of Natural resource found in the Reserve, and exhort them to give the right message to the community, as the reserve deserves its durability. Some recent information was given to them as proof of threats that the reserve faces i.e birds are killed without reason, monkeys are always victims…

a bird killed by pygmies women at Dingbo Region

A suspended monkeys’snare in Wamba region

So far, we are already covering the 3/4 of the reserve by establishing intelligence network. We stress on intelligence as a backbone for a good conservation of a Park or Nature Reserve because the experience shows that the neighboring community is not the direct destructor or poacher of a protected area but they do undergo the exterior influence. I still remember Paul’s saying “You should send your informers out of the Park or reserve where pressure is coming, and organize operation accordingly. Not wait until the enemy enters in the room

Paul, Bugogo instructing student

An intelligence network is a tool that is used by the Manager; once you have necessary information on a sector, an operation cannot fail, and the result must be positive.

By the way, let me tell you that the tour we are organizing for a follow up of these informers’ costs. We propose to motivate informers monthly, buy fuel, accommodation, and so on.

In one word, intelligence network is very important in a protected area, but cash is needed.

from left : Somba,Mr. Malingane ( provincial ICCN

authority), Mr. Benoit KISUKI ( ICCN General Direction )and Mr. Mapilanga

The RFO Staff attended the party organized for the issue .I noticed the presence of Robbert Muir from FZS( rigth on picture )

Maman SALAMA , Marie Gaby,and Marceline in kitchen preparing food for the party

Fatu and Marie Gaby

Marie Gaby, and Fatuma ( cookers )

Somba

Technorati : congo, epulu, okapi, wildlifedirect

No responses yet

Category: Ranger Patrols | Date: May 07 2007 | By: admin

The reserve was created for the protection of fauna and flora of the Ituri forest, by targeting the endemic specie of the animal OKAPI where scientists discovered a concentration of about 5,000. This is the reason why the Government of Kinshasa decided since 2nd of May, 1992 the creation by Ministerial law of the Reserve. Are you aware that this protected area is listed since 1997 on the red list of UNESCO? Really, it is because of all threats (illegal mining, uncontrolled agriculture, intensive hunting, poaching,… )

Do you remember that I mentioned in one of my blog posts that there is a total of 83 Rangers fighting for safeguarding the integrity of the Reserve. The calculation demonstrates that each Ranger has an space of 165,06 square kilometers to control himself.

Former ICCN ADG Mme Eulalie BASHIGE on parade with Rangers

So far, we have already established 6 permanent patrol posts such us : Zunguluka, Bukulani, Molokay, Adusa, Epulu ( H.Q ) and Nzaro where Rangers live together with their respective families. We also created 3 Temporary Bases where a team of 5 to 6 rangers are based for 20 days (Babesua, Esui yo Wapi and Penge).

S/O SIRA,at Babesua Temporary base

( Adusa PP not yet achieved )

The experience shows that operating in a small team is tactically more advanced than in a big team where the section Commander can loose control of his elements.

.

Chief Brigadier KONGAWI with his team

From the Headquarters, 3 Rangers are selected to meet 2 of their colleagues based either to Adusa Patrol Post ( West of the Reserve ) for deploying together in a team of 5 to shift the team after 20 days to the Temporary Base. They always spend 7 days riding bicycles from H.Q to Adusa (80 km), and then walking in jungle with almost 15 kgs in bags, and crossing the river Ngayu.

From the nearest community, we have to select 4 porters for carrying patrol rations, and we pay them accordingly ($ 70,00 per month / per temporary base).

4 porters selected in the community

Once reaching the Base, the section Commander begins deploying patrols for several days by targeting sensitive sectors according to the information received.

In fact, I am obliged to witness that missing his family for 20 days is not easy for a father of Kids, but ….. otherwise, we try to motivate these Rangers in a different way: regular payment of their Bonus, simplifying their journey by driving them to the patrol entrance, buying new uniform for them, patrol equipment. The team living in a permanent Patrol Post also lives in a good house,…..

Adusa Patrol Post in construction

In conclusion, regular inspection visit by Officers of different Positions is important in terms of keeping high the moral of personal, and for a real follow up.

Somba during inspection at West sector

Technorati : congo, epulu, okapi, wildlifedirect

No responses yet

Category: Epulu, Okapi | Date: May 02 2007 | By: admin

Faida, Karu’s mother, was pregnant during the worst war battle Epulu ever experienced in 2002 since the unrest started in Congo in 1996.

When Karu was born on the 24th April 2003 it was for all the population in Epulu a special event and our people decided that it had to be announced on the local radio in Beni in North Kivu. People look at Karu as a symbol of peace because he was born right after the war ended in the Ituri region. He is very important to all of us here in Epulu, and his name was given in memory of Karl Ruf.

Rosie

Technorati : congo, drc, epulu, gic, karu, okapi, okapi wildlife reserve, wildlifedirect

No responses yet