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Congo Basin
Protecting Africa’s tropical forests
The Congo Basin's vast and incredibly varied rainforests harbor some of the rarest and most fascinating creatures on Earth, including the critically endangered mountain gorilla.
© WWF-Canon/Martin Harvey
Deep in the heart of the African continent, the tropical forests of the Congo Basin are a haven for forest elephants, gorillas and other amazing wildlife. The indigenous people of the forest gather and hunt for food, just as their ancestors have done for thousands of years. Under towering canopies of ancient trees, their lives—and the survival of nature here—depend on the forests.
The Congo Basin holds up to one-quarter of the world’s tropical forests. Its mosaic of ecosystems – rivers, forests, savanna, swamps and flooded forests – are teeming with life. These forests regulate local climate and the flow of water, protect and enrich soils, control diseases and safeguard water quality. They also make up one of the most important wilderness areas left on Earth.
WWF's vision: Halt the loss of forest and freshwater biodiversity by strengthening the network of protected areas and building conservation partnerships with governments and local people, enabling the sound use of natural resources and sustainable development.
The place. From the Albertine Rift to the Gulf of Guinea, the region harbors lush lowland forests, highland montane forests, swamp forests, and savanna and grasslands. Its dense forests extend almost 500 million acres, spanning the boundaries of Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo.
The species. The Congo Basin is home to the most spectacular and endangered wildlife in Africa. There are 1,000 bird species and 400 mammal species. Most of the world’s forest elephants and great apes including chimpanzees, bonobos, and lowland and mountain gorillas, inhabit its forests. The Congo River is one of the last intact tropical rivers in the world, boasting 700 species of fish.
The people. Providing food, fresh water and shelter to more than 75 million people, the Congo Basin has been inhabited by humans for more than 50,000 years. With nearly 150 distinct ethnic groups, the region’s Ba’Aka people are the most visible representatives of an ancient hunter-gatherer lifestyle. Their lives and well-being—physical, cultural and spiritual—are linked intimately with the forest.
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