Congo Basin Wildlife Welfare 2025

Overview: The Congo Basin contains the world's second-largest tropical rainforest — approximately 2 million km² — spanning the Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Cameroon, Gabon, Central African Republic, and Equatorial Guinea. Home to our closest relatives (gorillas and bonobos), forest elephants, and extraordinary endemic fauna, the Congo Basin's wildlife welfare is under severe pressure from bushmeat hunting, logging, and artisanal mining.

Great Ape Welfare

Western Lowland Gorillas

The western lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla gorilla) — the most numerous gorilla subspecies with approximately 100,000-200,000 individuals — faces bushmeat hunting and Ebola virus disease as primary threats. Gorilla welfare in national parks is supported by ranger patrols; welfare outside protected areas is compromised by hunting and disease. Sanctuaries like GRACE (DRC) and Ape Action Africa (Cameroon) care for orphaned gorillas rescued from the bushmeat trade.

Bonobos

Bonobos (Pan paniscus) — found only in DRC south of the Congo River — number approximately 15,000-20,000. Among the most endangered great apes and the least studied. Bonobo welfare is threatened by bushmeat hunting and habitat loss. Lola ya Bonobo sanctuary near Kinshasa is the world's only bonobo sanctuary, caring for orphaned bonobos rescued from the pet and bushmeat trades with welfare-attentive group housing in semi-wild enclosures.

Ape Welfare Scale: W. lowland gorilla: ~100,000-200,000 (Critically Endangered); Bonobo: ~15,000-20,000 (Endangered); Cross River gorilla: ~200-300 (Critically Endangered); Grauer's gorilla (DRC): ~3,800 (Critically Endangered)

Forest Elephant Welfare

African forest elephants (Loxodonta cyclotis) — a distinct species from savanna elephants — have declined by over 85% in 31 years, primarily from ivory poaching. Their welfare is compromised by chronic poaching stress (research shows populations in high-poaching areas have disrupted family structures and abnormal social behaviors), habitat loss from logging, and mining disturbance. Gabon and Congo hold the largest remaining populations.

Bushmeat Crisis

Commercial bushmeat hunting is the primary direct welfare threat to most Congo Basin wildlife. An estimated 1-5 million tonnes of bushmeat is harvested from the Congo Basin annually. Snares — the most common hunting method — cause significant suffering through non-target capture (including chimpanzees and gorillas who suffer snare injuries), slow death, and the welfare impact on captive animals held before slaughter. Snare removal programs operate in several national parks.

Okapi Conservation

The okapi (Okapia johnstoni) — the giraffe's forest-dwelling relative — is found only in DRC's Ituri Forest. Classified as Endangered with approximately 10,000-35,000 individuals. The Okapi Wildlife Reserve holds the largest protected population. Welfare threats include hunting and gold mining disturbance in the reserve. Armed conflict in eastern DRC has repeatedly disrupted conservation programs.