Parks and reserves rich in wildlife
With more than 400 species of mammals, around 700 specimens of birds and over 900 colorful butterflies, Congo-Brazzaville has everything it takes to become a major ecotourism destination on the African continent. National parks and reserves cover more than 13% of its territory and are home to a rich and varied fauna, including rare and endangered species such as the striped jackal and the western lowland gorilla. Victims of poaching and deforestation, in addition to the Ebola epidemic which caused the loss of almost half the country's gorilla population in 2000, only some 3,000 individuals remain in Congo today. They can be seen in various parks and reserves around the country, including the Lésio Louna Sud Léfini reserve, home to a gorilla protection project set up by the Aspinall Foundation. Here, orphans whose parents have been killed by poachers are protected with the aim of reintegrating them into the wild. The most expressive animal of the rainforest, the chimpanzee is also an endangered species due to deforestation and the consumption of its meat. It is assumed, however, that chimpanzees in Central Africa form a population of around 80,000 individuals. They are organized in communities ranging from 20 to 100 individuals, generally divided into sub-groups of fluctuating composition. They can be found in virtually every park and reserve in the country, including the Tchimpounga sanctuary, 50 km north of Pointe-Noire, which offers an unprecedented refuge for orphaned primates. Considered Critically Endangered since 2021, the forest elephant is also very present in the country, particularly in the far north. Smaller than its cousin the savanna elephant, it has less imposing ears and grey, wrinkled skin, the result of its dark, humid environment. It should be noted, however, that there are no giraffes or zebras in the Congo, preferring the open spaces of the savannah where they can see carnivores approaching from afar and gather. Large herds do not exist in the forest, as the environment is not suited to their organization and needs. Few large herbivores in the Congo, therefore, and consequently few lions, found only in Odzaka Park. With luck, however, leopards can be seen in Odzaka and Conkouati-Douli parks, as well as in the Lac Télé community reserve. They are exclusively carnivorous, and their prey is usually bushpigs, monkeys and porcupines. Their coat is often lighter in color when they live in the savannah, and grayer in forest areas. Among the many species of antelope is the bongo, the largest of the forest antelopes - up to 1.25 m and 230 kg - found in the Odzala-Kokoua park. A nocturnal animal, it feeds on roots, seeds and fruit, with a pronounced taste for liana marrow and rotten wood. Another little-studied species is the African golden cat, endemic to the forests of Africa's west coast. About twice the size of a domestic cat, its base color varies from orange-brown to gray, with white throats, cheeks and belly. Carnivorous, it preys on birds and small mammals, its predators being poachers and panthers. A very discreet and furtive animal, it gives visitors little chance to contemplate it.
A varied aquatic fauna
With almost 170 km of coastline, hemmed in by the Atlantic Ocean, the country is home to many species of fish. These include grouper, tarpon, gilthead bream, red carp, barracuda, trevally and guitar ray. A hundred kilometers north of Pointe-Noire, the Conkouati lagoon is a sanctuary for manatees and sea turtles, including the leatherback turtle, the largest known species of marine turtle, which can reach 2 m in length and weigh 350 kg. In the south-west of the country, Conkouati Park is known as the world's second-largest nesting area. The lagoon, open to the ocean, is home to both freshwater and saltwater fish, a paradise for sport fishermen. In the dry season, humpback whales can be seen off the coast of Pointe-Noire. Crossed by rivers and dotted with swamps, the country is also home to numerous freshwater fish such as carp, skipper and tigerfish. However, in the dry season, freshwater fish is scarce on the markets, sold at exorbitant prices for the inhabitants.
Exceptional birdlife
With over 700 bird species, including more than a hundred on the island of M'bamou, Congo-Brazzaville is a birdwatcher's paradise. Throughout the country, you can observe a variety of kingfishers, rollers, hornbills, bee-eaters, dendrocygnes and falcons. Congolese wetlands are frequented by Gambian geese, pink flamingos, storks, marabouts and little egrets, among other species. Rare birds include the Sturm's bittern, a small heron of the Ardeidae family, the Cape gannet, the savannah bateleur and the black-headed oriole.
Lush but little-known flora
Composed of gallery forests, wooded savannahs and forest islands, the Congolese flora is one of the richest in Africa, with over 10,000 plant species, including 3,000 endemics. However, little is known about it, and research is still ongoing. The Odzala-Kokoua park is home to a dense plant specific to tropical rainforests, known as maranthacea. These highly evolved herbaceous plants form a dense, dark forest where gorillas like to hide and eat the leaves, sources of protein, lipids and phosphorus. There are also better-known species such as the cheesemaker, the oil palm, the rubber liana, different varieties of banana and the garlic tree, belonging to the Huaceae family.
