Endangered animals in the Congo rainforest

The two gorilla species-the eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and western gorilla (Gorilla gorilla)-are both found in the Congo Basin, and they are both critically endangered. There are 2,600 eastern gorillas estimated to remain in the wild. The eastern lowland gorilla, also known as Grauer's gorilla, is the largest gorilla subspecies.

One major threat to gorillas' survival is poaching for bushmeat due to a scarcity of protein sources. Infant gorillas are also often captured after their mothers have been hunted and killed, and they typically die in captivity or are seized by wildlife authorities. Armed conflict in the area has brought about a rise in the circulation of illegal weapons, which has made poaching much more rampant.

Deforestation is also a major threat to gorillas, and it is perpetuated by the civil unrest faced by the region. The presence of armed groups and refugees in parts of the Congo Basin is putting enormous pressure on the forest and its animals as land is converted for settlement, agriculture, logging, and mining. Diseases spread from humans to gorillas also pose a threat.

Western gorillas in particular are facing threats from oil palm plantations, as much of their habitat is suitable for this type of agriculture. It's estimated that 73.8% of the habitat of the Western lowland gorilla subspecies could be converted for oil palm plantations.

Lastly, the increased temperatures and altered rainfall patterns caused by climate change are expected to have a major impact on gorillas' habitat. Climate change is already impacting the food security of humans, who will continue to encroach on gorilla habitat if they cannot secure sufficient resources.

Chimpanzees

Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes) are another endangered great ape species found in the Congo Basin. They are regarded as our closest relatives out of all primates, sharing 98.7% of our DNA. Despite how the killing and consumption of all great apes is banned, poaching remains one of the biggest threats to chimps. They are hunted with guns and trapped with snares, including snares set with the intention of catching other mammals. Infant chimps whose parents are killed are often taken as pets or enter the illegal wildlife trade.

Chimps are also sometimes killed in retaliation for crop raiding, a form of human-wildlife conflict. Conflict between humans and chimps is becoming more intense and is perpetuating negative attitudes about these apes. Additionally, chimpanzees are losing their habitat to agriculture, logging, mining, and other human activities.

Because of our similarities in DNA, many infectious diseases can be passed back and forth between humans and chimpanzees. One of these is the Ebola virus, which has caused a series of mass chimp die-offs.

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