Biodiversity
The Conkouati Douli National Park is limited by the Gabonese border to the north and west and by the ocean to the southwest. In its present form, it covers 5045km2 and is the protected area with the highest habitat diversity in Congo.
These are (at increasing distances from the sea) the littoral fringe, including littoral savannahs and forests; a mosaic of savannahs, marshes, lakes and lagoons interspersed by marsh forests and sublittoral forest; the Mayombian forest, much of it in mountainous country; and finally the inland savannahs of the Niari plain. The Mayombian forest has been undisturbed by forest exploitation for about 20 years. The part furthest from the villages has been subject to almost no hunting since the forestry companies left the area.
There is a correspondingly high level of wildlife diversity. Endangered forest mammals such as forest elephants, western gorillas and chimpanzess are found alongside savanna wildlife such as waterbuck, hippo, elephant, buffalo, bushbuck, jackals. Marine wildlife such as turtles, humpback whales and dolphins are found in the shores off the mainland. Many of these species are threatened or endangered and are listed on CITES Appendix I and II.