Jax Science Festival

1. How does ColTan mining
impact wildlife ?
Okapi are one of many animals that are impacted by
mineral mining.

2. What are okapi?
• One of the most unique large
mammal in the world! It is the
national animal of the
Democratic Republic of the
Congo – where most of the
minerals for our cell phones are
mined.

3. What makes okapi so special?
• Okapi are beautiful and unusual. With
its white and black hindquarters – it
looks like it must be related to a zebra!
But if you look closely at the okapi’s
head, you’ll notice its resemblance to
giraffes. It’s actually the only living
relative to the giraffe! They are about 6
feet tall and weigh up to 550 pounds.

4. Why okapi are in trouble?
• Okapi live in the rainforest and are very
shy and secretive. They are only found in
the Democratic Republic of Congo and
nowhere else. The Congo also happens
to have a very large supply of precious
minerals underground that people all
over the world use for electronics, such
as cell phones. These minerals are mined
legally and illegally. The illegal trade of
minerals (blood minerals) is causing
problems for people, animals and nature
in Democratic Republic of Congo.

5. How do these blood minerals in our cell phones
effect okapi?
• Illegal mining, or the unregulated
digging of minerals from the ground,
harms nature and wildlife. Okapi are
often killed when they encounter
people at mines, or their habitat is
destroyed like in the photo below.

6. How can you help okapi?
• You can help okapi by waiting
to upgrade your electronics
(such as phones), recycling
your old cell phone, or buying
electronics from companies
that do not use blood
minerals.