Democratic Republic of the Congo is arguably the most biodiverse country in Africa, best known for the green swatches of rainforest associated with the vast Congo River basin, but also home to the western slopes in the immense Ruwenzori and Virunga Mountains, both who are protected in Virunga Nation al Park.
A UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979, The Virunga National Park is situated along the Albertine Rift and is contagious with six other national parks in neighboring countries. It was first established in 1925 to protect the habitat of the mountain gorillas of the Virunga volcanoes and is the oldest park in Africa.
The habitats in park include active volcanoes, lave fields, snowcapped mountains, tropical alpine meadows, bamboo forest, health ecosystems, montane and lowland tropical forests, savannas, dry forests and freshwater lakes and watercourses.
The park is the home to two of the world’s most active volcanoes, the largest remaining population of mountain gorillas and a mountain range that boasts the only glaciers in Africa. Also it’s the only park in the world to have population of the three great ape species: the mountain gorilla, the lowland gorilla and the chimpanzee.
Virunga National Park
