Ndoki-Likouala Landscape

At the heart of the world's second-largest rainforest lies a vast, wild expanse of forest, and peatland swamp, covering 13,000 square miles (about 34,000 square kilometers), and containing two protected areas. It is one of forested Africa's most important strongholds for wildlife and one of the most intact. The Nouabale-Ndoki National Park, lying in the north of this huge landscape, has had no human settlements for at least a millennium, and forms part of a World Heritage Site, recognized by UNESCO in 2012. The Lac Tele Community Reserve, in the south of the landscape, is at the heart of a huge RAMSAR site, with thousands of waterfowl along its rivers. In addition, this Reserve has high gorilla densities and an important population of dwarf crocodiles. Over 38,000 Western Lowland Gorillas live in this stronghold, alongside over 10,500 forest elephants and 10,000 chimpanzees, including some that have never seen humans.