Salonga National Park is located in the Congo River basin in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Covering about 36,000 square kilometers, it is the largest protected tropical rainforest reserve in Africa. Because of its size and isolation, Salonga remains one of the most intact rainforest areas on the continent.
Salonga National Park is home to about 40 percent of the world’s bonobo population. Bonobos are one of the closest living relatives to humans and share about 98.7 percent of their DNA with people, just like chimpanzees. The park was first established in 1956 as Tshuapa National Park and was renamed Salonga National Park in 1970 by President Mobutu Sesseko. In 1984, the park was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
There are very few roads inside Salonga National Park. Most areas can only be reached by river, which has helped keep the forest in good condition. The park landscape includes grassy clearings, marshes, rivers, streams, and swamps.
Salonga supports a wide range of wildlife. The park has about 129 fish species, 51 mammal species, and over 220 bird species. Unlike many African parks where wildlife is viewed by vehicle, Salonga offers the special experience of observing animals from boats while traveling along rivers and channels.
Salonga National Park Map
Bonobo Chimpanzees
Animals found in the park include bonobos, forest elephants, leopards, hippopotamus, crocodiles, Congo peafowl, aquatic genet, African golden cat, yellow backed duiker, tree pangolin, giant pangolin, bush pig, sitatunga, bushbuck, forest buffalo, water civet, red river hog, and Congo clawless otter. Several primate species also live here, such as dryas monkeys, black crested mangabey, Allen’s swamp monkey, and Angolan pied colobus.
Bonobos are one of the main highlights of Salonga National Park. They look similar to chimpanzees but are slightly smaller and darker. Bonobo groups are led by females. When different groups meet, they usually avoid serious fighting and often use social behavior to maintain peace.
The park is also rich in birdlife, with more than 300 bird species recorded. Some birds seen here include black billed stork, cattle egret, yellow billed stork, Congo peacock, grey parrot, palm nut vulture, and black billed bustard.
Salonga National Park lies about 100 kilometers south of Boende, between Kinshasa and Kisangani. Access is mainly by chartered flights to Anga or Mundja airstrips near Monkoto, followed by boat travel inside the park.
The park is in a rainforest zone with rain throughout much of the year. The best time to visit is during the drier months from June to August, although rain can still fall even during this period.
