Kahuzi-Biega National Park

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Kahuzi-Biega National Park
A vast area of primary tropical forest dominated by two spectacular extinct volcanoes Kahuzi
and Biega the park has a diverse and abundant fauna! "ne of the last groups of eastern
lowland #graueri$ gorillas #consisting of only some %&' individuals$ lives at between %(''
and %)'' m above sea-level!
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/utch
0orilla called Nin1a 2 3N4-+"
"utstanding 3niversal 5alue
Brief synthesis
-traddling the Albertine ,ift and the +ongo Basin Kahuzi-Biega National Park is an
exceptional habitat for the protection of the rainforest and the eastern lowland
gorillas Gorilla berengei graueri! 4xtending over 6''''' ha are dense lowland rainforests
as well as Afro-montane forests with bamboo forests and some small areas of sub-alpine
prairies and heather on 7ounts Kahuzi #88'9 m$ and Biega #%:;' m$!
<he Park contains a flora and fauna of exceptional diversity making it one of the most
important sites in the ,ift Albertine 5alley it is also one of the ecologically richest regions of
Africa and worldwide! =n particular the most important world population of eastern lowland
gorillas #or de 0rauer$ sub-species endemic to the /emocratic ,epublic of the +ongo #/,+$
and listed under the endangered category on the =3+N ,ed /ata Book uses the mosaic of
habitats found in the property!

Criterion (x): Kahuzi-Biega National Park contains a greater diversity of mammal species
than any other site in the Albertine ,ift! =t is the second most important site of the region for
both endemic species and in terms of specific diversity! <he Park protects (86 species of
mammals among which the star is the eastern lowland gorilla and thirteen other primates
including threatened species such as the chimpanzee the colubus bai and cercopiuthic of
>oest and >amlyn! "ther extremely rare species of the eastern forests of the /,+ are also
found such as the giant forest genet #Genetta victoriae$ and the a?uatic genet #Genetta
piscivora$! +haracteristic mammals of the central African forests also live in the Park such
as the bush elephant bush buffalo hylochere and bongo!
<he property is located in an important endemism zone #4ndemic Bird Area$ for birds
identified by Birdlife =nternational! <he @ildlife +onservation -ociety established a complete
list of birds in the Park in %''8 with 8); species including )% endemic! Also the Park was
designated as a centre of diversity for plants by =3+N and @@* in (;;) with at least ((:9
inventoried species in the highland zone although the lowland yet remains to be recorded!
<he Park is one of the rare sites of sub--aharan Africa where the floral and fauna transition
from low to highlands is observable! =n effect it includes all the stages of forest vegetation
from 6'' m to more than %6'' m dense low and middle altitude rainforests to sub-mountain
to mountain and bamboo forests! Above %6'' m at the summit of 7ounts Kahuzi and Biega
a sub-alpine vegetation has developed with heather and home to the endemic
plant Senecio kahuzicus! <he Park also contains plant formations rare worldwide such as
the swamp and bog altitudes and the marshland and riparian forests on hydromorphic
ground at all altitudes!
Integrity
<he forests of the property are characterized by continuous vegetation from the summit of
the mountains to the lowland regions! A corridor connects a highland zone of 6'''' ha to a
lowland sector of &)'''' ha! <he area of the property is considered as sufficient to maintain
its fauna! 7aintenance of the sustainability of the vegetation is essential to avoid the
fragmentation of animal populations in particular the large mammals!
rotection and management re!uirements
<he property is protected by the National Park legal status and managed by the +ongolese
=nstitute for Nature +onservation #=++N$! A management and surveillance structure is
present! A management plan should be finalized and approved!
Although the greater part of the property is inhabited some villages were included in the
Park at the time of its extension in (;:& creating disputes with the populations! <hese
problems must be resolved to strengthen the effectiveness of conservation actions!
<he boundaries of the property should also be clearly delineated especially where there are
no evident natural boundaries! <his is particularly important both in the lowlands and the key
corridor connecting the high and low biographic regions of the Park!
<he highland sector is crossed by a national road with minimal traffic! <he control of the
traffic flow is important to avoid an impact on the populations of threatened species in this
sector notably the gorillas!
At the time of the inscription of the property in (;9' challenges of protection and
management had been highlighted including the economic problems that have caused a
serious reduction in the effectiveness of the management and necessary protection to
guarantee the survival of species in the Park and the sustainability of its ecosystems! =t was
also noted that because of logistical problems large areas of the Park were only rarely
observed even never visited by the under-staffed guards and poaching has since
increased!
Political instability in the region provoking the displacement of thousands of people
represents a very serious threat to the integrity of the property resources and populations of
large mammals in the Park have declined dramatically! <he Park does not have a
designated buffer zone supporting cooperation of the neighbour populations in the
conservation of the property is one of the principal tasks of management in particular in the
zones of heavy human density!
Another key challenge is that of the control of poaching and artisanal oil exploration in the
former extraction sites! >unting of wild game for bush meat as well as the conversion of
habitats are considered the conse?uence of the presence of numerous miners in the Park!
@ith the financial and human resources being insufficient it becomes imperative to obtain
additional means to strengthen the effectiveness of management including ideally the
creation of a <rust *und!
Aong /escription
<he park is situated in the eastern part of the country &' km west of the town of Bukavu
near Aake Kivu and the ,wandan border! =t consists of a smaller sector on the eastern side
covering part of the 7itumba 7ountains and a larger western sector in the Bairean central
basin! <he two zones are connected by a narrow corridor! <he entrance to the park is at
<shivanga on the eastern side!
<he :&''' ha eastern sector is entirely montane! <he massif is part of the 7itumba
7ountain range the western mountains of the 0reat ,ift 5alley! <he two main peaks 7ount
Kahuzi #88'9 m$ and 7ount BiCga #%:;' m$ are extinct volcanoes and the massif dates
from the late <ertiary or early Duaternary!
<he lowland sector in the Bairean central basin covers the watersheds of the tributaries of
the Auka and Augulu rivers! <hese both drain into the ,iver Aualaba! <he extension lies
below (&'' m apart from isolated peaks such as 7ount Kamani #(:'' m$ and consists of
mountains cut by deep valleys! 3ndulating terrain in the west forms a belt between the two
zones!
<he western zone is forested by e?uatorial rainforest with transition forest between (%'' m
and (&'' m! =n the eastern zone six different primary vegetation types have been
distinguishedE mountain rainforest high-altitude rainforest swamp forest bamboo forest
subalpine heather and swamp and peat bog!
<he park was established to protect %''-8'' eastern lowland #0rauerFs$ gorilla occurring
mainly in the forests at %(''-%)'' m but also in the lower rainforest! <he FmosaicF of
biotypes makes the park an excellent gorilla habitat! "ther primates include eastern
chimpanzee and numerous Cercopithecinae andColobinae! "ther mammals include
elephant forest hog and many antelope and duiker! Avifauna includes the endemic
,ockefellerFs sunbird 0rauerFs broadbill 0rauerFs warbler and -helleyFs crimsonwing!
4ndemic mammal species include giant gennet A?uatic civet 7aclaudFs horseshoe bat
,uwenzori least otter shrew owl-faced monkey eastern needle-clawed galago <homasF tree
s?uirrel and AlexanderFs bush s?uirrel!
*ifteen villages of shifting cultivators were located in the eastern sectors of the park when it
was created and continue to be occupied! <he park is situated in one of the most densely
populated areas of the country! -ome ;'G of the population of Kivu is rural mainly
dependent on agriculture! -even separate tribal groups live around the park including the
Pygmy Barega and Bashi peoples! <raditional livelihoods are based on shifting agriculture
and subsistence hunting!
-ourceE 3N4-+"H+A<H@>+
-pecies
<he species listed below represent a small sample of iconic andHor =3+N ,ed Aisted animals
and plants found in the property! +licking on the number in brackets next to the species will
reveal other @orld >eritage Properties in which a species has been identified! <hese species
are identified in an effort to better communicate the biological diversity contained within
@orld >eritage properties inscribed under criteria ix andHor x!
Afropavo congensis H +ongo Peafowl
Dendromus kahuziensis H 7ount Kahuzi African +limbing 7ouse
Glaucidium albertinum H Albertine "wlet
Gorilla beringei graueri H 4astern lowland gorilla
Hippopotamus amphibius H >ippopotamus #%$
Hylochoerus meinertzhageni H *orest >og
Loxodonta cyclotis H *orest 4lephant
icropotamogale ru!enzorii H ,wenzori "tter -hrew
"ectarinia rockefelleri H ,ockefellerFs -unbird #%$
#an troglodytes sch!einfurthii H 4astern chimpanzee #%$