39 Congo Rainforest Facts All Environmentalists Will Love

The Congo rainforest in central Africa is home to one of the world's longest rivers, the Congo River.

The largest rainforest covers the majority of the eastern Congo. These are drier forests than the other rainforests in the world.

Many of the species are endangered due to hunting and poaching, but the Congo rainforest is not being destroyed like it is in Brazil.

A few Congo rainforest facts are listed below:

• The Congo region spans 300,000 sq mi (777,000 sq km).
• Each year, the area's population grows by 1.7 million people.
• Forests in the Congo Basin are found in six countries: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, and the Republic of the Congo.
• Every year, the Congo Basin, second only to the Amazon, loses over 3.7 million acres (1.5 million ha) of forest cover.
• This equates to about one-third of Africa's annual forest loss of 9.8 acres (4 million ha).
• The Democratic Republic of the Congo is the largest country in the Congo Basin. It is home to 12.5% of the world's largest tropical forest.
• Brazil, Canada, China, Indonesia, the Russian Federation, the United States, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo control 60% of the world's protected areas.
• The Congo Basin woods are home to most animals, including primates, birds, amphibians, fish, and swallowtail butterflies in Africa. More than 1,000 bird species may be found here.
• The Congo Basin is the only site where all three gorilla subspecies may be found: lowland gorillas, the endemic eastern lowland gorilla, and endangered mountain gorillas.
• 50% of the Congolese forests have now been designated for logging.
• The Congo River, known as the second largest river in the world, flows through the Congo Rainforest.

Congo Rainforest Location

The Congo River Basin is bursting with life, a patchwork of rivers, forests, savannas, marshes, and flooded forests.

• The region is home to gorillas, elephants, and buffalo. Cameroon, Central African Republic, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, the Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea, and western Gabon are all part of the Congo Basin.
• The Congo Basin is home to around 10,000 tropical plant species, 30% of which are unique to the hot and wet region.
• The verdant woods are home to endangered animals like forest elephants, chimps, bonobos, and lowland and mountain gorillas.
• 400 different animal species, 1,000 bird species, and 700 fish species can also be found here.
• Humans have been living in the Congo Basin for over 50,000 years. It supplies food, freshwater, and shelter to around 75 million people.
• There are about 150 separate ethnic groups in the region, with the Ba'Aka being one of the most well-known representations of an old hunter-gatherer culture. Their lives and well-being are inextricably tied to the forest.

Congo Rainforest Importance

The Congo Basin rainforest's soils and plants store massive amounts of carbon, keeping it from being vented into the atmosphere and fuelling climate change.

• The forests of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) are thought to constitute the world's fourth-largest terrestrial carbon store.
• There are the largest teak trees in the Congo forest cover.
• The Congo is a significant African navigational system for forest transition.
• In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, only the portion from Ilebo to Kinshasa is still relevant. It is the navigable river connection used to convey Katanga's copper output to the shore.

Wildlife Of The Congo Rainforest

The Congo Basin is home to a wide variety of exotic creatures, including two chimp species that are found solely in the Congo jungles.

• The larger of the two is the common chimp, while the smaller one is the bonobo. They dwell in different parts of the city.
• Gorillas can also be found in the central African rainforest. The Congo rainforest gorillas are known as 'lowland gorillas.'
• Another species that may be spotted in the Congo jungle, generally in the river, is the hippopotamus.
• Elephants, mainly the small African forest elephant, survive in the jungle. The Okapi is another fascinating mammal found in the Congo jungle.
• The Okapi is a fascinating creature. It is similar to the forest giraffe but resembles a zebra.
• Other indigenous or remarkable mammals include Allen's swamp monkey, the dryas monkey, the aquatic genet, and the Congo peafowl.
• There are many different types of snakes, although those found in the Congo basin are not as well known as those found elsewhere in Africa.

Deforestation Issues In The Congo Rainforest

Small-scale subsistence agriculture, clearance for charcoal and fuelwood, urban growth, and mining have been the primary causes of deforestation in the Congo rainforest during the last 20 years. The most significant contributor to forest degradation has been industrial logging.

• Industrial logging and conversion for large-scale agriculture are the greatest dangers to the Congo rainforest.
• Some environmentalists are concerned that the Congo may be on the cusp of a significant rise in deforestation. These are due to palm oil plantations, the production of rubber and sugar.
• With the slow return of peace to the Congo Basin, logging has intensified.
• Historically, the wood business has been key employment in Congo basin forest areas, providing employees with basic healthcare, housing, and other amenities.
• Corporations harvest regions outside of their concessions and at logging intensities greater than what is permitted.
• Some businesses operate without a permit. There have been a lot of incidents involving communities and loggers.
• The majority of deforestation in the Congo rainforests is caused by poor farmers and villagers who depend on forest areas for agriculture and fuelwood collection.
• Since the mid-'90s, Central Africa has been ravaged by conflict.
• Millions of refugees have migrated through the Congolese forests from European colonies and European countries. Thus, destroying vegetation and animal populations.
• National parks, such as Virunga, which is home to the vulnerable mountain gorilla, have been robbed and park rangers have been slain.
• Refugee colonies on the outskirts of parks exacerbated the demand for parklands.
• The Congo Basin contains some of the world's most valuable mineral reserves.
• Mining activities are inadequately supervised, and financial rewards are placed over social and long-term health implications, with little regard for environmental damage.