Houston Zoo’s Crisis Fund Answers the Call to Support Okapi Partner
In the early hours of May 17, the World Health Organization confirmed an Ebola outbreak in Ituri Province, the very region where our partners at Okapi Conservation Project live and work.
What makes this outbreak particularly serious is that there is currently no approved vaccine or treatment for the Bundibugyo strain of Ebola – there are already more than 600 reported cases across DRC and Uganda. Without a vaccine readily available, prevention is everything.
The okapi, the forest, and the people of Ituri are deeply intertwined, and the health of this ecosystem depends on the health of the communities within it.
To protect people and wildlife, Okapi Conservation Project put out a call for support to ensure proper preventative measures could be put in place.
Houston Zoo’s Crisis Fund Answers the Call
The Zoo’s Crisis Fund, championed by our Rangers, responded to Okapi Conservation Project’s call for help by providing $10,000 in emergency funding that will go to support the purchase and distribution of essential protective supplies, including:
- Face masks
- Medical-grade disinfectant and chlorine solution for foot baths
- Latex gloves
- Personal Protective Equipment such as coveralls and shoe covers
- Handwashing stations
- Soap
- Hand sanitizer + re-fillable bottles
Our Hoofstock team also jumped into action, sending messages of encouragement to the Okapi Conservation Project staff in DRC.
Hear our partner’s message of thanks on how the Houston Zoo’s support is helping during this critical time. With every visit to the Zoo, you are helping save animals in the wild.
