Endangered Animals of Congo

The Democratic Republic of Congo is located in central Africa. It consists of a low-lying plateau with mountains in the east. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species documents the country's endangered animals.

Western Gorilla

The Western Gorilla (Gorilla gorilla) is the largest primate, weighing up to 600 lbs. Worldwide population is estimated at 24,000, with under half in the Congo.

African Elephant

The African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) lives in forest, savanna, marshes and arid desert. Worldwide population is estimated from between 402,000 and 660,000, with about 27,500 in the Congo.

African Golden Cat

The African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata) is twice as big as the domestic cat, and has fur colored from dark orange to gray. Worldwide population is estimated under 10,000.

West African Manatee

The West African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis) weighs under 1,100 lbs. and is 10 to 13 feet long. Worldwide population is estimated at under 10,000, and almost none are left in the Congo.

Gabon Dwarf Shrew

The Gabon Dwarf Shrew (Suncus remyi) weighs under 0.05 oz. and feasts on insects in the rainforest. Though it was considered critically endangered as late as 2003, it is currently not considered threatened.

References

• Gorilla
• Elephant
• Golden Cat

Resources

• CIA World Factbook on the Congo
• IUCN Red List
• Threatened Species in Congo