COUNTRY Zaire

NAME Salonga National Park

IUCN MANAGEMENT CATEGORY

II (National Park)

Natural World Heritage Site - Criteria ii, iii

BIOGEOGRAPHICAL PROVINCE 3.02.01 (Congo Rain Forest)

GEOGRAPHICAL LOCATION Lies in a large section of the central basin of the Zaïre River in Bandundu and Kasaï equatorial regions, a very isolated region mainly accessible by water transport. 1°00'-3°20'S, 20°-22°30'E

DATE AND HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT Declared a national park on 30 November 1970 by Ordinance 70-318. It is defined in law as 'une réserve naturelle intégrale' in the sense of the 1933 London Convention. Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1984.

AREA 3,600,000ha in two sectors of approximately equal size, separated by about 45km.

LAND TENURE Government

ALTITUDE 350m to 700m rising from west to east.

PHYSICAL FEATURES Three types of landscape can be recognised: low plateaux, river terraces, and high plateaux, each with different associated vegetation. Rivers in the west of the north sector are large and meandering with marshy banks. On the higher ground in the east, valleys are deeper, and rivers may run below cliffs of up to 80m. The south sector includes the watershed between the basin of the Luilaka to the north and east, Likoro to the west, and Lukenje to the south. Soils are a thin humus layer over Kalahari sands with several lateritic flushes.

CLIMATE Typically continental equatorial, hot and humid with mean annual precipitation of 2000mm over most of the reserve, falling to 1800m in the south, and a slightly drier season from June to August. Rains are mostly downpours and on only 30 days in the year is precipitation less than 20mm. Average relative humidity is 86%, regularly reaching saturation at night, but maintaining 77% mostly during the day. Mean annual temperature 24.5°C. Temperatures are stable with daily mean variations from 20°C at night to 30°C during the day. Cloud cover is often complete until 1000 hours, associated with fog and storms from midday to 1500 hours, but skies are often clear at night to 0400 hours.

VEGETATION Salonga is the largest tropical forest national park in the world. Equatorial forest covers most of the area, varying in composition according to the geomorphology. The principal forest types are swamp, riverine, and dry-land forests. Evergreen ombrophile forest is dominated by well-developed stands of Gilbertiodendron dewevrei. Semi-deciduous forest covers almost all areas between the rivers, most frequently comprising Staudtia stipitata, Polyalthia suavaeoleus, Scorodophloeus zenkeri, Anonidium mannii and Parinari glaberrimum. Pioneer or transitory communities are found along river banks, including Macaranga lancifolia and Harungana madagascariensis. Grassland vegetation, rather than savanna, occurs in the north sector, known locally as 'botoka-djoku' or elephant's bath. The total area of grassland is under 0.5% of the park area. Southwards, the vegetation is more open with 'esobe' clearings. Species composition has been little studied.

FAUNA No systematic faunal survey has been carried out, but most forest animals appear to be present. The most important species that has been reported is dwarf chimpanzee Pan paniscus (V) which is endemic to Zaïre. However, it is absent from the north sector and there is now doubt that it still exists in the south sector. Other species include colobus monkeys Colobus polykomos angolensis and C. badius, Cercopithecus spp., long-tailed pangolin Manis tetradactyla, giant ground pangolin M. gigantea, tree pangolin Manis tricuspis tricuspis, both subspecies of elephant Loxodonta africana cyclotis (V) and L. africana africana (V), hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius, leopard Panthera pardus iturensis, African golden cat Felis aurata (K), Angolan mongoose Crossarchus ansorgei, Congo water civet Osbornictis piscivora, bush pig Potamochoerus porcus ubangensis, yellow-backed duiker Cephalophus sylvicultor, okapi Okapia johnstoni, water chevrotain Hyemoschus aquaticus, sitatunga Tragelaphus spekei, bushbuck T. scriptus, bongo T. euryceros, and pygmy Cape buffalo Syncerus caffer nanus. Birds include: cattle egret Bubulcus ibis, black stork Ciconia nigra (migrant), yellow-billed stork Mycteria ibis and the endemic Zaïre 'peacock' Afropavo congensis. Reptiles include African slender-snouted crocodile Crocodylus cataphractus (I).

CULTURAL HERITAGE No information

LOCAL HUMAN POPULATION A group of less than 1,000 Ediki lives in Yaelima, Dekese zone, in the centre of the park. 500 Kitawalistes live near Lomela sub-station on the northern block. Both are in contact with poachers. It is proposed to relocate them outside the central zone. In order to improve the living conditions of the local population, it has been proposed to farm grey parrot in villages in the buffer zone. Traditional fishing is undertaken in the numerous rivers, as well as hunting and gathering in the buffer zone. Local agriculture comprises manioc, maize, rice and banana.

VISITORS AND VISITOR FACILITIES There are practically no visitors because of the lack of infrastructure and access routes.

SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH AND FACILITIES Phytosociological studies of Pan paniscus were carried out by park staff in the south sector. IUCN has requested its Primate Specialist Group to assess the status of Pan paniscus in the park. An inventory of the flora and fauna was compiled during 1973-1977. In general knowledge of the area is low, but further research is planned. There is no permanent scientific station, which is a limitation on research activities, although one is planned, to include a laboratory, library and meeting room. Some missions are undertaken by IZCN personnel from Kinshasa. There isrudimentary accommodation for scientists at Monkoto in the north and Anga in the south. Salonga was selected for a forest ecosystem conservation project of Central Africa. Launched in 1987 under the auspices of the European Economic Community, it is hoped the project will provide technical and scientific assistance for the management and surveilance of the park and promote the integrated development of peripheral areas.

CONSERVATION VALUE Comprises the largest tropical rain forest in the central basin of the Zaire River. It is the habitat of many endemic endangered species such as the dwarf chimpanzee and Zaire peacock, as well as the forest elephant and African slender-snouted crocodile.

CONSERVATION MANAGEMENT A 20ha zone is used for administrative services and guard posts. There is no management plan. To date, a policy of non-management of the natural system has been followed to allow natural evolution of the ecosystems. Exploitation of the natural forest occurs, but there is no reforestation nor management. It seems that this will in future be supplemented by a strategy of scientific management aimed at avoiding unexpected disturbance of the natural balance. Representatives of IUCN and WWF visited the park in 1985 and made a number of recommendations. While noting the problems of poaching they suggested that control of this was not the major priority and suggested instead that increased effort should go into improving knowledge of the region; making the population of the area more aware of the value of the park, and if possible involving them in management activities; improvement of information on the relationship between local population and the ecosystems of the park (studies of ethno-botany etc); improvement of park infrastructure, and provision of a research station.

MANAGEMENT CONSTRAINTS Poaching both by traditional and modern methods has reduced numbers of elephant and grey parrot Psittacus erithacus. There is some impact from local population pressure, habitat destruction by fire, tree cutting for firewood, shifting cultivation and honey gathering, and pygmy chimpanzee is consequently under threat. Perhaps more serious is the lack of sufficient management infrastructure, trained staff and management planning. Forestry is the principal problem. Heavy machinery forces logging routes through the forest and facilitates access by agriculturalists.

STAFF Chief conservator at Anga, conservator at Monkoto, and 16 patrol posts with 87 guards and 22 workmen (undated information).

BUDGET 1987 - 300,000 Zaïres approximately

LOCAL ADDRESSES

Institut Zairois pour la conservation de la nature (IZCN), (Zaire Institute for the Conservation of Nature), (Président délégué général)Kinshasa/Gombe, Avenue des Cliniques 13, BP 868, Kinshasa 1, (BP 4019 Kinshasa 2), Zaire

REFERENCES

Biosphere Reserve nomination form submitted to Unesco, August 1987

IUCN/WWF (1985). Rapport d'une mission au Zaïre et Rwanda. IUCN/WWF, Gland, Switzerland.

Pierret, P.V. and Petit, J.M. (1976). Contribution a l'Etude et Aménagement du Parc national de la Salonga. FAO, Rome.

World Heritage Nomination Form submitted to Unesco.

DATE 1984, revised May 1990