Odzala- Kokoua National Park (6085)
Congo, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1a, A1b, A1c, A1d, B1, B4
Year of last assessment: 2023
National site name: Parc National d'Odzala-Kokoua
Central coordinates: Latitude: 0.9783, Longitude: 14.9272
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Elevation (m): 360 to 830
Area of KBA (km2): 13382.31928
Protected area coverage (%): 99.95
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Odzala-Kokoua KBA covers the National Park of the same name in the Republic of Congo and is one of Africa’s oldest national parks; designated in 1935 and receiving Biosphere Reserve status in 1977. Covering an expansive 13,382 km2 area, ranging between 360 - 830 m above sea level, Odzala-Kokoua lies in the heart of the Congo Basin, the second largest rainforest in the world after the Amazon. It is particularly known for its populations of African Forest Elephant, Western Gorilla, Chimpanzee, and a series of swampy mineral-rich clearings, to which large mammals are attracted. In 2010, African Parks entered into a 25-year-long agreement with the Republic of the Congo’s Ministry of Forest Economy, Sustainable Development and Environment to protect this globally significant park.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: The Odzala Kokoua National Park KBA is one of the Congolese KBA that triggers the most species due to its impressive size and rich biodiversity. The following species trigger this exceptional national park: African Forest Elephant (CR, A&a and A1c), Western Gorilla (CR, A1a and A1c), Chimpanzee (EN, A1c), Grey-cheeked Mangabey (VU A1d), Black Colobus (VU, A1d), African Golden Cat (VU, A1d), Black-bellied Pangolin (VU, A1d), Giant Ground Pangolin (EN, A1c), African Grey Parrot (EN), Gabon Viper (VU, A1d), Slender-snouted Crocodile (CR) and the African Dwarf Crocodile (VU, A1d).
The forest in the park harbours the majority of the currently known range of an ebony tree endemic to Congo: Diospyros whitei (A1a and B1) and also the following plant trigger species: Schefflerodendron gilbertianum (A1a and B1), Gilbertiodendron minkebense (A1b and B1), Ficus burretiana (A1b), Isolona pilosa (A1b), Dacryodes buettneri (A1d), Autranella congolensis (A1a and A&c).
The site also triggers Criterion B4 for the ecosystem "Northwestern Lowland Marantaceae Under Northern Equatorial Climate" (30.3% of this ecosystem falls within this KBA)
Additional biodiversity: A very large Park with a high proportion of Marantaceae forest (always attractive to elephants and gorillas in particular). A large area of savanna in the south of this Park means that three species of wild felid are found here: leopard, African golden cat, and serval (a savanna species). Lions used to live in this Park but have not been seen for thirty years. This Park is probably the principal bastion of White's ebony (Diospyros whitei).
Manageability of the site: The site is currently managed by the Odzala-Kokoua-Lossi Foundation in a partnership between African Parks and the MEF (Government: Ministry of Forest Economy)
Other site values: The Baka, Mikaya, Kola and Nguom have customary resource rights in this site.
Delineation rationale: The KBA delineation follows the Odzala- Kokoua National Park limits. These limits are approved by the MEF (Ministry of Forest Economy, Government of Congo)- the limits were revised by a partnership between MEF and WRI (World Resources Institute) in the mid- 2010s to improve their alignment with rivers and other geographical features, and to refine the edges (which were previously somewhat "blocky").
This KBA is delimited by a straight line in the south between the villages of Epoma (on the National Road N2) and the village of Ebana on the Provincial road P30 bis; and then the limit runs northwest following that latter road (which becomes a track) until the international border with Gabon. It then follows the border north to a swampy area at about 1.35 decimal degrees north, and then runs northeast until theprovincial road P42, (at Bessie Village), where it then follows the road east to halfway between the villages of Seko and Kokoua, and then turns south and follows the ridge line between two watersheds for almost 100km until it hits the National Road N2 again and arrives at Epoma again.
The Decree creating this site is "Decret n° 2004 - 221 du 10 Mai 2001, portant creation du parc national d'Odzala-Kokoua".
NB: The shapefile of this KBA has been slightly modified in its eastern part to follow the border boundary of the GADM (Global Administrative Areas). It does not call into question the shapefile of the official boundaries of this park as defined in its decree of creation.
Habitats
Summary of habitats in KBA: This site is mostly covered by lowland tropical forest (Ecoregion: Northwest Congolian lowland forests) with some herbaceous/ shrubby savannas in the south (about 5% of the KBA). The main type of forest occurring here is mixed terra firma forest (IUCN habitat type 1.6. Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland). A small percentage is covered by permanent and seasonal watercourses ((IUCN habitat types 5.1. Wetlands (inland) – Permanent rivers/streams/creeks (includes waterfalls) and 5.2. Wetlands (inland) – Seasonal/intermittent/irregular rivers/streams/creeks).
The Marantaceae forests which dominate this KBA are an unusual vegetation type: Trees are relatively sparse, forming a very open canopy with a high amount of light reaching the ground. The understorey is about two metres deep and dominated by terrestrial herbaceous vegetation in the Marantaceae and Zingiberaceae families (Dowsett-Lemaire 1996).
At least 1150 plant species have been recorded in this KBA (Maisels 1996); of these, over 350 species are woody (Dowsett-Lemaire 1996). The Marantaceae forests have a rather low diversity of ligneous species within a given sample area (LeJoly 2000).
Of particular interest within the site are several large forest clearings which, although they cover a very small percentage of the surface area of this KBA, are of high importance for large mammals. Some of these clearings are swampy, and filled with sedges and aquatic herbs; others are sandy. Both types attract large mammals of the site, notably western lowland gorillas, forest elephants, forest buffalo and sitatunga, which use the clearings for foraging and for social interactions.
Land use: Protected area (full protection) with a Public-Private Partnership between MEF (Government: Ministry of Forest Economy) and African Parks
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Savanna | 10 | Savanna - Moist |
| Forest | 90 | Forest – Subtropical/tropical moist lowland |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Odzala-Kokoua National Park is mainly subject to bushmeat hunting and ivory poaching. The main hunting pressure inside the KBA is located within twenty kilometres of the park boundaries (Bohm 2020; Gibbon et. al., 2023).
The other main threat is the (past) presence of Zaire Ebolavirus. A regional epidemic killed thousands of great apes in NE Gabon and W Congo (Walsh et al 2003; Bermejo et al. 2006). The population of a known population of gorillas inside the Park crashed in 2004, with Ebola identified as the cause (Caillaud et al 2003; Devos et al 2008); this population is now recovering (Genton et al 2012). In addition, in 2006-2007 a localised cluster of great ape carcasses was found just to the east of this KBA (Cameron et al. 2016). The cause was not ascertained but Ebola was suspected. No recent evidence of Ebola has been recorded within this KBA.
There is some small-scale shifting agriculture within this KBA but this is permitted within the "ecodevelopment zones" that lie along some of the Park boundaries (within the Park).
Small-scale gold mining occurs as well, and there are gold mining permits along the western border of the Park (along the Gabon border) which may become a much greater threat in the future.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Energy production & mining | Mining & quarrying | Ongoing | |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Shifting agriculture | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Hunting & collecting terrestrial animals | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Viral/prion-induced diseases | Named species | Only in the past and unlikely to return |
| Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | Viral/prion-induced diseases | Named species | In the past but now suspended and likely to return |
Additional information
References: Bohm, T. (2020) Wildlife and Human Impact Survey 2019/2020, Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Republic of Congo. In, p. 45. African Parks, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
Caillaud, D., Levrero, F., Cristescu, R., Gatti, S., Dewas, M., Douadi, M., Gautier-Hion, A., Raymond, M. & Menard, N. (2006) Gorilla susceptibility to Ebola virus: The cost of sociality. Current Biology, 16, R489-R491.
Devos, C., Walsh, P.D., Arnhem, E. & Huynen, M.C. (2008) Monitoring population decline: can transect surveys detect the impact of the Ebola virus on apes? Oryx, 42, 367-374.
Dowsett-Lemaire, F. (1996) Composition and evolution of the forest vegetation of Odzala National Park, Congo. Bulletin du Jardin Botanique National de Belgique, 65, 253-292.
Genton, C., Cristescu, R., Gatti, S., Levrero, F., Bigot, E., Caillaud, D., Pierre, J.S. & Menard, N. (2012) Recovery potential of a western lowland gorilla population following a major Ebola outbreak: results from a ten year study. PLoS One, 7, e37106.
GIBBON, G., MOUAMANA, A., NGAMA, G., DZOHI-EPENI, J., OGNANGUE, R., ELARI, J., NGOUMA, S., OGNANDZI, J.-B., NDEBO, D., BOCKA, D., APEKOU, C., GOUOM, O., SAMA, P., BOBA-GOUH, B., OYOURABEKA, C., IKOUMA, C., KIBA, L., AYOMA, T., BOUAKA, K. & KOYI, L. (2023) Odzala-Kokoua & Lossi Biomonitoring Survey 2021-2022: Odzala-Kokoua National Park, Lossi Gorilla Sanctuary and UFA Kellé-Mbomo, Republic of Congo. In, p. 76. Fondation Odzala-Kokoua/African Parks., Brazzaville, Republic of Congo.
Lejoly, J., Joffroy, G. & Stévart, T. (2000) Synthése des inventaires de botanique floristique effectuées dans le cadre du programme ECOFAC à Sao Tomé et Principe. Université Libre de Bruxelles: Laboratoire de Botanique systématique et de phytosociologie,
Maisels, F. (1996) Synthesis of information concerning the Parc National d'Odzala, Congo. Projet Ecofac-Composante Congo. AGRECO- CTFT, Brazzaville, Congo.
Contributors: The experts who examined the data for this site are the following:
Freshwater fish: Victor Mamonekene (Ecole Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie et de Foresterie, Brazzaville, Congo);
Herps and killifish: Laurent Chirio (Brazzaville French School);
Larger Mammals: Fiona Maisels WCS); Gwili Gibbon (African Parks);
Small mammals: Terrence Demos (Chicago Field Museum of Natural History); Julian Kerbis (Chicago Field Museum of Natural History/ Roosevelt University); Rainer Hutterer (Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change, Bonn Koenig Museum);
Birds: Jerome Mokoko; Hugo Rainey (WCS and The Biodiversity Consultancy);
Plants: Sydney Ndolo Ebika (Marien Ngouabi University, Brazzaville, Republic of Congo); Nicolas Texier (Missouri Botanical Gardens and ULB Brussels)