Democratic Republic of Congo Wildlife

Virunga National Park, a haven of biodiversity which contains more bird, mammal and reptile species than any other protected area in Africa, has everything from glaciers and lava flows to forest and savannah found within the park’s borders. Perhaps best known as being one of the last places to see mountain gorillas in the wild; the habituation of a handful of gorilla family groups living in Virunga allows travellers to spend time in close proximity with these great apes. Gorillas are far from the only wildlife experience here; a huge variety of birdlife can be seen filling the skies above Virunga, including pelicans and flamingos that hunt for fish in Lake Edward. The Ishasha River, which drains into the lake, attracts a variety of large land mammals and is a great spot for sightings of tree-climbing lions, wallowing hippos, herds of elephant and buffalo. The endangered okapi, a cousin of the giraffe, inhabits the valley below the Rwenzori Mountains to the north.

Primates

Eastern Gorilla

Weighing upwards of 200kg, the imposing eastern gorilla is the largest of all primates, and is split into two subspecies: the mountain gorilla and the eastern lowland gorilla, both of which are listed by the IUCN as critically endangered. Despite their size, strength and ferocious-looking fangs, gorillas subsist almost entirely on fruit and vegetation and are inherently wary of humans, even to the point of shyness.

Mountain gorillas, as their name suggests, inhabit Virunga’s forested volcanic mountains and the roving groups of between five and 30 individuals can be found at high altitudes, ranging from 7,000 to 14,000 ft. Eastern lowland gorillas, the larger of the two subspecies, are found within Kahuzi-Biéga National Park on the western side of Lake Kivu, a large body of water which abuts onto the southern edge of Virunga. Virunga National Park and the surrounding areas offer opportunities for tracking down and spotting both species of gorilla, with a number of groups having grown accustomed to our presence through years of habituation activity.

Chimpanzees

Currently being habituated close to Virunga’s park headquarters, DRC is also home to around 40 percent of the world’s chimpanzees which you can track in Virunga National Park.

Bonobos

Closely related to chimps, and to humans, DRC is the only country where bonobos live and the world’s only bonobo sanctuary exists in Kinshasa. These small, peaceful and highly sociable apes are tough to see in the wild.

African Forest Elephant

These elephants are a distinct forest-dwelling subspecies and are found in the dense rainforests of the DRC.

Okapi

Often referred to as the "forest giraffe," the okapi is native to the dense Ituri Rainforest in northeastern DRC. It's a unique and elusive species.

Hippos and Crocodiles

The DRC's numerous rivers and lakes are home to large populations of hippos and crocodiles.