Is Salonga National Park Safe?

Salonga National Park is in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984, but was labelled a site in danger in 1999 due to urban development and poaching.

Why is Salonga National Park a World Heritage Site?

In 1984, the national park was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List for its protection of a large swath of relatively intact rainforest and its important habitat for many rare species. In 1999, the site has been listed as endangered due to poaching and housing construction.

What pristine rainforest in Africa was planned to be turned into a national park to protect the huge diversity of wildlife that lives in it?

At the heart of the central basin of the River Congo, Salonga National Park is the largest protected area of dense rainforest on the African continent (when considering the two disjointed sectors of the Park).

Why is Salonga National Park in danger?

Salonga, which sits at the heart of the central basin of the Congo River, was placed on the World Heritage List in 1984. Due to poaching, deforestation and poor management, the park was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1999, said 350.org’s Christine Mbithi in a statement.

What does Salonga mean?

The indeginous name means ‘in the cave’. A spin off from this surname is Salunga. A submission from Qatar says the name Salonga means “The legendary” and is of Filipino (Philippines) origin.

How long has the Congo rainforest been around?

The rainforests return About 10,000 years ago, as the last Ice Age ended, glaciers receded and rainfall increased. The changing climate allowed savannas to be reclaimed by trees, and the forest grew to reach its current size.

How many tribes are in Congo DRC?

200 tribes
The Congo is made up of more than 200 tribes. The 4 largest tribes in the Congo are the Mongo, Luba, Kongo, and Mangbetu-Azonde. Approximately 700 local languages and dialects are spoken in the Congo.

Is Salonga a Spanish name?

A user from Philippines says the name Salonga is of Filipino (Philippines) origin and means “The name Salonga is an indeginous surname of 1 of 4 tribes in the area now known as National Capitol Region. The indeginous name means ‘in the cave’. A spin off from this surname is Salunga.

How big is Salonga National Park in Africa?

The WWF is run at a local level by the following offices… Deep inside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Salonga National Park extends over 33,350km 2, which makes it the largest forest national park in Africa and the second largest tropical forest park in the world. It was created in 1970 and classified as a World Heritage Site in 1984.

Why was Salonga National Park added to the World Heritage List?

Due to the civil war in the eastern half of the country, it was added to the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1999 . The park is co-managed by the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature and the World Wide Fund for Nature since 2015.

Are there any endangered species in Salonga National Park?

Several species are internationally endangered, particularly the forest elephant and the bonobo. The threats to wildlife in Salonga are mostly related to illegal hunting. Generally, Congolese law prohibits hunting in national parks. All hunting inside Salonga National Park is therefore forbidden and considered poaching.

Who are the technical partners of Salonga National Park?

Oxfam, ISCO, ZSM, and LMU contribute to rural development activities and scientific research as technical partners of the Salonga National Park program. The Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of European Union (EU) to the DRC and his team visited Salonga from 13 to 17 April 2021.