Have you ever wondered what kind of animals are in the Congo rainforest? Congo rainforest is one of the biggest rainforests in the world located in Congo, Central Africa. There are so many wildlife animals that living there for many years ago.
As a tropical forest, the Congo rainforest brings an atmosphere of life balance from nature inside the forest. The forest is popular as a high biodiversity forest which contains more than 10,000 species of animals.
That facts make the Congo rainforest has many variants of animals living there. Some of them are endemic to the Congo rainforest, which is hardly found in another country.
If you are wondering what kind of animals are in the Congo rainforest, here we have some of them on the list below. Let’s check them out!
- Chimpanzee
The chimpanzee one of the most famous animals in the Congo rainforest that becomes the endemic animal from Congo rainforest. They live in a social group such as the common primates, which commonly live around the trees that look similar to some animals in the Borneo rainforest.
Chimpanzee has long hand to reach the branch for their movements or reach some foods. Most of them are living by eating fruits, and honey. They are capable of using some branches to take some water to drink from some leaves around.
As deforestation come to approach the Congo rainforest, that makes chimpanzee has an endangered life to their existence.
- Bonobos
Bonobos are one of the most famous animals in the Congo rainforest that has a family tree closer to the type of chimpanzee. They are living in a social group which leads by a female that looks different from some animals in the Costa Rica rainforest.
They are capable of using some tools to support their life, such as using a branch as their tools to manage their social and private life.
Bonobos commonly love to live around the tree even though they can walk normally on the ground. As the endemic animals of the Congo rainforest, they can be found around the south of the Congo river.
Lately, the number of Bonobos decreased drastically from year to year due to deforestation, illegal hunting, and sometimes illegal logging. Because they have a low reproductive rate, it makes their life is endangered.
- African Elephants
African elephants are one of the most famous animals in the Congo rainforest that becomes the most popular endemic animals there that are different from some animals in the Baltic sea.
Most African elephants can be found around the Congo Basin area whether in the Savana or inside the deep forest, which becomes their habitat decades ago.
Those different habitats bring the elephants in the Congo rainforest into two different types. The Savana elephant has a larger body than the forest elephant, which is commonly smaller. Both of them are eating fruits, and vegetables and need good water to live.
Due to some reasons that happen in the Congo rainforest, it makes the population of elephants decreased rapidly. They have to struggle hard to live whether to find clean water and habitats because of deforestation or illegal hunts that affect their population, which later becomes endangered.
- Okapi
Okapi is one of the most famous animals in the Congo rainforest you can only find them around the Ituri area. Okapi looks similar to zebra but has a closer family to giraffes. That makes this type of animal is rarely found in other countries but in the republic of Congo.
Okapi is mammals that live in a social group, such as common mammals. Most of them are herbivores that eat some leaves and trees around the forest or in the Savana. Lately, this type of animal become endangered because of so many reasons happening in the Congo rainforest.
- African Slender Snouted crocodile
An African slender-snouted crocodile is one of the most famous animals in the Congo rainforest that has an endangered status. They can be found around the Saharan area, which is commonly near the freshwater of the river.
African slender-snouted crocodile commonly lived for over 50 years but has a low rate of reproductive life that looks similar to some of the animals found in the Neotropical region. Deforestations and illegal hunting make their life more endangered because their skin has a high commodity for the fashion and art industries.
- African buffalo
African buffalo is one of the most famous animals in the Congo rainforest that has a unique horn. As the endemic animals from Central Africa in Congo, most of them live around the conservative area to protect themselves from extinction.
African buffalo is a wild mammal that hard to become friendly toward humans. Lately, it is reported that they were striking people with more than 100 people hurt every year. They have become the most dangerous buffalo in Africa.
- Congo peafowl
Congo peafowl is one of the most famous animals in the Congo rainforest that becomes the prettiest bird in Africa based on their fur. Their species looks similar to common peacocks in Asia that come from the Pavo family, which are different from some of the animals that build their own homes.
Congo peafowl lives by eating fruits and small animals such as insects, worms, and spiders. Most of them live around the Salonga National Park, and some in the Maliko National Park.
- Kob
Kob is one of the most popular animals in the Congo rainforest that lately becomes endangered. This kind of animal looks similar to the species of antelopes but they have a smaller body.
Kob commonly lives in a wild Savana, and you can find them around the Virunga National Park in the Congo rainforest. Most of them live in a social group in which the female comes to be more active than the male species.
So, there are some of the most famous animals in the Congo rainforest whose status commonly becomes endangered. Have you ever seen one of those animals?