Wonderfully wild
- POSTED ON: 22 Mar, 2022
- TOTAL VIEWS: 194 Views
- POSTED BY: Rohini Ramakrishnan
- ARTICLE POINTS: 150 Points
The Central African country of Gabon is one of the few countries that absorbs more carbon dioxide than it emits. This is thanks to its high forest cover — about 85% of the country is covered in forests — and low deforestation rate. So it is not surprising that the country has two natural sites that have been declared as UNESCO World Heritage Site. The most recent is the Ivindo National Park (in 2021).
International Rivers/ Flickr
Created in 2002, the park covers 300,000 acres of rainforests with a thick unbroken tree canopy. The resulting high humidity makes it perfect for a special ecosystem that depends on the high moisture. The Park’s geographic features also include the magnificent mountains of Mount Kingué and Mount Ngouadi and two spectacular waterfalls known as ‘Wonders of Ivindo’. Of these, the Koungo Falls (in pic above) are 3.2km wide and 56m high and are one of the strongest flowing waterfalls in the world.
Rich habitat
The UNESCO chose Ivindo National Park for its unique biodiversity and forest ecosystem. The Park includes the Ipassa Makokou Biosphere Reserve, which doesn’t have any human habitation. More than 2,000 plant species and 600 species of mammals, reptiles, fish, amphibians and birds have been recorded here. Of the endemic freshwater fish species found here, 13 are in the endangered list and many are yet to be identified.
Photo: Pixabay
These forests are home to the western lowland gorilla (in pic above), which is on the critically endangered list, along with the West African slender-snouted crocodile, one of the five species in Africa. The Reserve is also home to about 60% of Africa’s remaining forest elephants, known as Mega-gardeners of the forest.
The Ivindo National Park shelters many other endangered species like the chimpanzee and the grey parrot. The Vulnerable grey-necked rockfowl and the mandrill too are sheltered here. The African golden cat is native to these rainforests listed as Vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.
The unique Caesalpinioideae (peacock flower) that grows in abundance in this habitat attracts butterflies, birds, and mammals to this rich habitat that is a haven for the critically endangered.
Memory game
Play this memory game featuring animals that call the Ivindo National Park their home!