Wildlife of the Democratic Republic of the Congo

The rainforests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo contain great biodiversity, including many rare and endemic species, such as both species of chimpanzee: the common chimpanzee and the bonobo (also known as the Pygmy Chimpanzee), mountain gorilla, okapi and white rhino. Five of the country's national parks are listed as World Heritage Sites: the Garumba, Kahuzi-Biega, Salonga and Virunga National Parks, and the Okapi Wildlife Reserve.
The civil war and resultant poor economic conditions have endangered
much of this biodiversity. Many park wardens were either killed or
could not afford to continue their work. All five sites are listed by UNESCO as World Heritage In Danger.

Over the past century or so, the DRC has developed into the center of what has been called the Central African "bushmeat" problem, which is regarded by many as a major environmental, as well as, socio-economic
crisis. "Bushmeat" is another word for the meat of wild animals. It is
typically obtained through trapping, usually with wire snares, or
otherwise with shotguns or arms originally intended for use in the
DRC's numerous military conflicts.

The "bushmeat crisis" has emerged in the DRC mainly as a result of
the poor living conditions of the Congolese people. A rising population
combined with deplorable economic conditions has forced many Congolese
to become dependent on bushmeat, either as a means of acquiring income
(hunting the meat and selling), or are dependent on it for food. Unemployment and urbanization throughout Central Africa have exacerbated the problem further by turning cities like the urban sprawl of Kinshasa into the prime market for bushmeat.

This combination has caused not only widespread endangerment of
local fauna, but has forced humans to trudge deeper into the wilderness
in search of the desired animal meat. This overhunting results in the
deaths of more animals and makes resources even more scarce for humans.
The hunting has also been facilitated by the extensive logging
prevalent throughout the Congo's rainforests (from corporate logging, in addition to farmers clearing out forest in order to create areas for agriculture), which allows hunters much easier access to previously unreachable jungle terrain, while simultaneously eroding away at the habitats of animals.^[17]

A case that has particularly alarmed conservationists is that of primates. The Congo is inhabited not only by two distinct species of chimpanzee – the Common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and the bonobo (Pan paniscus) – but by the gorilla
as well. It is the only country in the world in which bonobo are found
in the wild. The two species of chimpanzees, along with gorillas, are
the closest living evolutionary relatives to humans. Much concern has
been raised about Great ape extinction.
Because of hunting and habitat destruction, the chimpanzee and the
gorilla, both of whose population once numbered in the millions have
now dwindled down to only about 200,000 per species. Gorillas and both
species of chimpanzee are classified as Endangered by the World Conservation Union, as well as the okapi, which is also native to the area geography.

A case that has particularly alarmed conservationists is that of primates. The Congo is inhabited not only by two distinct species of chimpanzee – the Common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) and the bonobo (Pan paniscus) – but by the gorilla
as well. It is the only country in the world in which bonobo are found
in the wild. The two species of chimpanzees, along with gorillas, are
the closest living evolutionary relatives to humans. Much concern has
been raised about Great ape extinction.
Because of hunting and habitat destruction, the chimpanzee and the
gorilla, both of whose population once numbered in the millions have
now dwindled down to only about 200,000 per species. Gorillas and both
species of