The Congo Basin is one of the most important wildernesses left on the planet. Second only in size to the Amazon rainforest, this habitat spans a huge area of over 340 million hectares (830 million acres) through the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Republic of Congo, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. The lifeblood of the ecosystem is the Congo River, which flows through the basin to meet the Indian Ocean. Throughout this habitat, dense rainforest is interspersed with green savannas, rivers and marshy swamps, providing a huge range of niches for an incredible number of species. This African rainforest is thought to be home to over 400 species of mammal and 1,000 species of bird.
As well as having rich biodiversity, the area is also abundant in natural resources, such as timber, petroleum and even diamonds. These are in high demand, and extraction techniques pose a threat to wildlife – habitat loss due to mining and logging, as well as building of roads and dams are the biggest threats to wildlife.
The illegal bushmeat trade is also a real threat to many rainforest animals. Monkeys and antelope are the animals most at risk, and it’s estimated that in the Democratic Republic of Congo alone, over a million tonnes of bushmeat are eaten each year.
Rainforest natives
Introducing just a few of the jungle inhabitants that can be found in this vast and varied ecosystem
An elusive relation of the African elephant, forest elephants have more rounded ears and their tusks point downward. They are important to the rainforest ecosystem, as they clear paths that other creatures rely on. and they help to disperse plants when seeds are deposited in their dung.
Africa’s largest parrot sports grey plumage with a shock of red at the tail. Daytimes are spent foraging for food on foot, using their strong, curved beak to collect seeds, berries and fruit. During the evenings, huge numbers of grey parrots come together in the treetops to roost.
Mandrill
The largest of the monkeys, mandrills are only found in African tropical rainforests. Their colourful red and blue facial markings are unmissable, as are their large cheek pouches that they use to store food. They live in groups known as ‘troops’, led by a dominant male.
This wild pig has bright red, coarse fur, with a contrasting black and white face. The tough tusks are used to dig around in the dirt for food. These hogs aren’t fussy and will eat anything they can find, from shoots and leaves to sheep and reptiles!
Gaboon viper
Known as the heaviest venomous snake in Africa, the gaboon viper lives in the rainforest and savannah areas of the region. With a triangular head and thick body, the viper uses its excellent camouflage to hunt with an ambush technique, lying in wait for unsuspecting prey to pass by.
These black and white monkeys have a surprising adaptation: they lack thumbs. The word ‘colobus’ is derived from the Greek word for ‘mutilated’, as these monkeys have evolved to have stubs where thumbs ought to be. This allows them to run expertly along branches on all fours.