Government of Congo & Wildlife Conservation Society Biodiversity Conservation Republic of Congo

B IODIVERSITY I N C ONGO 60% of country covered by lowland tropical forest; Endangered large mammals including lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, forest elephants and bongo. Endangered plant species such as Podocarpus, Afromosia trees...

« Protected Areas » 11% territory

WCS C OOPERATION WITH THE G OVERNMENT OF C ONGO WCS has been working in Congo since 1990; Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park created 1993, Buffer Zone Project created 1999; Working in Conkouati-Douli National Park and Lac Télé Community Reserve since 2000; Pending creation of new National Park in Batéké Plateau. Technical support for monitoring Odzala-Koukoua National Park

C ONSERVATION S TRATEGIES ‘Landscape approach’; Network of protected areas surrounded by multiple-use zones; Site-based conservation and protected area management

N OUABALE- N DOKI N ATIONAL P ARK Created in 1993, covering 4,000 km 2 Many endangered large mammals and plants; Intact forest wilderness with very low levels of human activity. Sangha Tri-national Transboundary protected area with Cameroon and C.A.R.

N OUABALE N DOKI C ONSERVATION L ANDSCAPE NNNP and adjacent timber concessions in Congo, and Lobeke N P – Cameroon, and Dsangha-Ndoki N P - CAR

W ILDLIFE L AW E NFORCEMENT Anti-poaching patrols a priority activity; Law enforcement patrols deployed from strategic points; Law enforcement monitoring system ensures effectiveness.

E COTOURISM D EVELOPMENT Gorilla viewing at a clearing within the NNNP; Infrastructure and trained staff put in place; 200 international visitors expected in 2006 at NNNP

M ITIGATING H UMAN -E LEPHANT C ONFLICT Elephants increasingly trespassing into villages and fields; Experimental approach to conflict mitigation; Various chili pepper-based measures aimed at finding long-term sustainable solutions.

W ORKING W ITH T HE P RIVATE S ECTOR Working with the private sector to protect wildlife across the whole landscape; Project for the Management of Ecosystems Adjacent to the Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park created in 1999; Reducing negative impacts of logging and associated commercial hunting on wildlife.

L AC T ELE C OMMUNITY R ESERVE Wetland reserve covering 4,200 km 2 ; Rich in bird species, high densities as lowland gorillas; 27 villages situated in and around the Reserve. Reserve classed in 1999 as community based management reserve. RAMSAR site

W ORKING WITH THE L OCAL C OMMUNITIES TO P ROMOTE S USTAINABLE N ATURAL R ESOURCE MANAGEMENT Growing demand for bushmeat; WCS and GoC developing sustainable resource-use programs. Community based approaches to wildlife management and conservation

C ONKOUATI -D OULI N ATIONAL P ARK Created in 1999, situated on the Atlantic coast; Extraordinary range of habitats and biodiversity; Large human population who rely on the lagoons and estuaries for fish and seafood.

C ONKOUATI -D OULI N ATIONAL P ARK Coastal area extremely important for rare nesting turtles; Research staff currently monitoring turtles to protect their eggs from poachers. Pilot ecotourism development

B ATEKE P LATEAUX S AVANNA Mosaic of savanna and gallery forest; Surveys collecting information on large mammals and human activity; Creating a new transboundary protected area.

H UMAN -W ILDLIFE H EALTH WCS Field Veterinarians support GOC in study of disease transmission from humans to wildlife/wildlife to humans; Rapid response/surveillance of Ebola virus and great ape populations (Odzala- Koukoua National Park); Health monitoring of domestic cattle imports.

C APACITY B UILDING Training the next generation of conservationists; On-the-job training and mentoring; Regular training courses on specific subjects.

C ONSERVATION E DUCATION Nature Clubs Protected species education in schools Films on environment with Congo TV Radio communications on Conservation Village meetings and theatre Awareness raising on all levels

C OMMUNICATION Congo Forest Exhibit, Bronx Zoo, New York WCS Congo Website ( Congo TV collaboration, journalists, calendars International media and films

D ONORS A ND P ARTNERS Government of Congo and Wildlife Conservation Society USAID/CARPE - Congo Basin Forest Partnership; Central African World Heritage Forestry Initiative US Fish & Wildlife Service US Embassy; US Zoos; FFEM; ITTO; LCAOF; NGS; RAMSAR