Congo Basin Stories

Dzanga-Sangha gorilla twins turn four
The first-ever twins born to habituated gorillas in the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Area are now four years old. Gorilla twins are extremely rare, but the survival of Inguka and Inganda brings hope that it is possible for other gorilla twins to survive in the future.
-
Safe Zone
WWF Magazine: Fall 2020In the heart of the Central African Republic, Dzanga-Sangha stands as a model for stability and peace—and a safe place for elephants and gorillas to roam. -
The first rule of gorilla tracking? Listen well
May 05, 2020Twenty years ago, a gorilla habitation program provided the Ba’Aka living near the Dzanga Sanga Park with a new opportunity. And by 2020, Dzanga-Sangha employed more than 50 Ba’Aka as gorilla trackers.
-
Mountain gorilla numbers rise in a Central African protected forest
A recent survey revealed the largest number of mountain gorillas ever recorded in a large swathe of protected forest in Uganda and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. WWF and partners counted 459 individuals, up from an estimated 400 in 2011, in the 83,840-acre Bwindi-Sarambwe ecosystem.
-
These handmade cookstoves save fuel—and help save gorillas
WWF Magazine: Summer 2019In 2008, WWF began working with groups in the Goma area to make and sell fuel-efficient cookstoves. Goma Stove, started with a loan from WWF, is now financially independent—and business is booming. -
Wild mountain gorilla numbers grow to more than 1,000
WWF Magazine: Spring 2019During 2015 and 2016, survey teams combed the Virunga Massif’s dense, mountainous forests in two sweeps in search of gorillas. What they found was good: 604 gorillas—up from just 480 in 2010. -
Adams Cassinga returns home to the DRC inspired to protect its wildlife
WWF Magazine: Fall 2018I was born in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), near Kahuzi-Biega National Park. -
Gorilla twins of Dzanga-Sangha turn 2 years old
January 25, 2018Inganda and Inguka are the first twins born to habituated western gorillas in the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas complex in the Central African Republic. Their second birthday is a reminder of the important work of the Primate Habituation Program.
-
Saving a forest stronghold
WWF Magazine: Spring 2018Deep within Africa’s second-largest country, Salonga is a core part of one of Earth’s greatest and last tropical forests, still virtually untouched by modern-day resource extraction and development. -
Charting a future for bonobos
WWF Magazine: Spring 2018The future of bonobos in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is beginning to look promising. WWF is increasing surveillance of them and creating a management plan that benefits people and wildlife. -
Women rising
WWF Magazine: Spring 2018WWF is working to empower women by teaching them sustainable farming techniques, building their leadership and entrepreneurial skills, and ensuring their representation in decision-making bodies. -
Improved cookstoves empower women in the Democratic Republic of Congo
March 07, 2017Associations, some formed mainly of women, in the Democratic Republic of Congo are building new, improved cookstoves by hand to help the environment—and themselves.
-
Community voices help shape conservation program for the Democratic Republic of Congo
August 10, 2016Local communities, Democratic Republic of Congo government representatives, WWF, and others met earlier this year to discuss plans for a forest conservation program in Maï-Ndombe.
-
Beyond Monkoto Road
June 13, 2016Thirty years later, WWF's Kate Newman returns to find signs of elephants, bonobos and more in Salonga National Park
-
New hope for Africa's largest forest park
May 30, 2016As the second largest tropical forest park in the world, Salonga is a global treasure. It is home for bonobos and one of the last remaining habitats for the forest elephant. Now, a newly signed agreement brings together the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN) and WWF to co-manage the protected area.
-
Major elephant ivory trafficking network broken up in the Democratic Republic of Congo
February 11, 2016In a significant blow to the illegal ivory trade in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), authorities dismantled a major elephant ivory trafficking syndicate thanks to a law enforcement supported by WWF and partners.
-
First twins born to habituated gorilla family in the Central African Republic
February 08, 2016Still too young to be named, the most recent additions to the gorilla population in the Dzanga-Sangha Protected Areas (DSPA) complex in the Central African Republic (CAR) are nevertheless making a name for themselves—as the first twins ever to be born to the area’s habituated gorillas.
-
Ranger Ghislain Somba Byombo on Protecting the Wildlife He Loves
July 30, 2015For over 20 years, Ghislain Somba Byombo has risked his life to protect wildlife in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). His reason for doing so is simple: he wants to save the animals he loves so dearly and keep the natural beauty of his country intact.
-
11 of the world’s most threatened forests
April 27, 2015The Amazon, central Africa, the Mekong. These are home to some of the world’s most species-rich, culturally significant and stunningly beautiful forests. But large swaths of these forests, and many others around the world, may not be there in 15 years if we don’t do more to save them.
-
A Plan to Save the Great Apes of Central Africa
March 31, 2015Gorilla and chimpanzee populations in Central Africa continue to decline due to poaching, habitat loss and disease. National parks and reserves in six range countries protect only 21 percent of western lowland gorillas and central chimpanzees, according to a new report.
-
Clean water for healthy communities
Water—and the sanitation it provides—is an essential ingredient for healthy human life. It is crucial to remember this as world leaders finalize the Sustainable Development Goals, a United Nations-led global framework that will guide development priorities for the next 15 years.
-
How Can We Help Mountain Gorillas Deal With Climate Change?
WWF Magazine: Winter 2014Which traits of mountain gorillas might allow them to tolerate or respond to rapidly changing climate conditions, and how can WWF help? -
Wildlife Sanctuary Gets a Hard-Fought Reprieve
WWF Magazine: Winter 2014 -
A Win for Virunga
June 11, 2014News that Soco will stop exploring for oil in Africa’s oldest national park, Virunga, is a monumental win for conservation and for the people who depend on the park. Virunga is home to astounding biodiversity and rare wildlife, like critically endangered mountain gorillas.
-
A major step forward in fight to stop oil exploration in Virunga National Park
February 14, 2014A major victory in the campaign to stop oil exploration in Africa’s Virunga National Park—home to more than half of the world’s endangered mountain gorillas. Thanks to a complaint filed by WWF, the company exploring for oil will be examined for alleged violations of environmental protections and human rights related to its operations in Virunga.