Goualougo Triangle
Encyclopedia
The Goualougo Triangle, is a 100 square miles (259 km²) region on the southern end of the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park
, located in the Republic of Congo, in Central Africa
. The northern Congo lowland forest ecosystem
of the park is one of the most intact fauna habitats
of its type in Africa. Populations of several endangered
or threatened species
are found here, including Forest Elephants, Western Lowland Gorilla
s and a high density of Common Chimpanzee
s.
The discovery of a naïve chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) population - and, most importantly, of their unhabituated behavior
- in the Goualougo Triangle region helped persuade the Congolese government, and the local logging
company, to preserve the pristine habitat.
The Goualougo Triangle has been dubbed "The Last Place on Earth" by National Geographic magazine, and Time
describes it as the "Last Eden
."
The chimpanzees of the Goualougo Triangle have had virtually no contact with people. Bomassa village, 34 miles (54.7 km) away, is the closest human
settlement. On initial contact, the chimpanzees still show curiosity and interest in human
observers, unlike those at other field research sites. This presents an invaluable opportunity for close observation of a chimpanzee community, one heretofore undisturbed by humans. Analysis of the ecological and geographical requirements for these chimpanzees is essential to developing a management plan to insure conservation of the species.
The Republic of Congo government, in collaboration with the New York
based Wildlife Conservation Society
(WCS), initiated the Nouabale-Ndoki/Congo Forest Conservation Project in 1991. When the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park was subsequently created in 1993, the Goualougo Triangle was initially left out, as a part of a logging concession. Initial surveys of the Goualougo Triangle, comprising a forest rich in mahogany
and other valuable hardwood
s, were conducted that same year by Michael Fay
, a conservationist
with the WCS.
The encroachment of loggers and bush-meat poachers
in areas adjacent to the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park imperils conservation efforts throughout the region. Because logging will continue in the vicinity of the park, it is essential for key conservation areas to be identified and protected, before such encroachment permanently compromises the forests and threatens the integrity of the park itself.
In July 2001, representatives of the WCS, the Congolese government, and the logging company - which owned legal rights to the Goualougo Triangle - announced the area was to be annexed to the park, so its intact ecosystem
and undisturbed wildlife
habitats would be protected in perpetuity.
Field research enabled by the annexation may lead to better models of human evolution
, because the chimpanzees will be protected from any other human interference. Data is being gathered on social organization, feeding ecology
and behavior. The chimpanzees of the Goualougo Triangle still enjoy the possibility of an unbounded and genetically robust future.
Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park
Nouabal-Ndoki National Park is a national park in the Republic of the Congo. Established in 1993, north of Congo, it is mostly populated with elephants, apes, ranging from Western Lowland Gorillas to chimpanzees and bongo. It is of pristine tropical rainforest with no human habitation within it...
, located in the Republic of Congo, in Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
. The northern Congo lowland forest ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
of the park is one of the most intact fauna habitats
Habitat (ecology)
A habitat is an ecological or environmental area that is inhabited by a particular species of animal, plant or other type of organism...
of its type in Africa. Populations of several endangered
Endangered species
An endangered species is a population of organisms which is at risk of becoming extinct because it is either few in numbers, or threatened by changing environmental or predation parameters...
or threatened species
Threatened species
Threatened species are any speciesg animals, plants, fungi, etc.) which are vulnerable to endangerment in the near future.The World Conservation Union is the foremost authority on threatened species, and treats threatened species not as a single category, but as a group of three categories,...
are found here, including Forest Elephants, Western Lowland Gorilla
Western Lowland Gorilla
The western lowland gorilla is a subspecies of the western gorilla that lives in montane, primary, and secondary forests and lowland swamps in Angola, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon. It is the gorilla usually found in zoos...
s and a high density of Common Chimpanzee
Common Chimpanzee
The common chimpanzee , also known as the robust chimpanzee, is a great ape. Colloquially, the common chimpanzee is often called the chimpanzee , though technically this term refers to both species in the genus Pan: the common chimpanzee and the closely related bonobo, formerly called the pygmy...
s.
The discovery of a naïve chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) population - and, most importantly, of their unhabituated behavior
Behavior
Behavior or behaviour refers to the actions and mannerisms made by organisms, systems, or artificial entities in conjunction with its environment, which includes the other systems or organisms around as well as the physical environment...
- in the Goualougo Triangle region helped persuade the Congolese government, and the local logging
Logging
Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...
company, to preserve the pristine habitat.
The Goualougo Triangle has been dubbed "The Last Place on Earth" by National Geographic magazine, and Time
Time (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
describes it as the "Last Eden
Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden is in the Bible's Book of Genesis as being the place where the first man, Adam, and his wife, Eve, lived after they were created by God. Literally, the Bible speaks about a garden in Eden...
."
The chimpanzees of the Goualougo Triangle have had virtually no contact with people. Bomassa village, 34 miles (54.7 km) away, is the closest human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
settlement. On initial contact, the chimpanzees still show curiosity and interest in human
Human
Humans are the only living species in the Homo genus...
observers, unlike those at other field research sites. This presents an invaluable opportunity for close observation of a chimpanzee community, one heretofore undisturbed by humans. Analysis of the ecological and geographical requirements for these chimpanzees is essential to developing a management plan to insure conservation of the species.
The Republic of Congo government, in collaboration with the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
based Wildlife Conservation Society
Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society based at the Bronx Zoo was founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society and currently manages some of wild places around the world, with over 500 field conservation projects in 60 countries, and 200 scientists on staff...
(WCS), initiated the Nouabale-Ndoki/Congo Forest Conservation Project in 1991. When the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park was subsequently created in 1993, the Goualougo Triangle was initially left out, as a part of a logging concession. Initial surveys of the Goualougo Triangle, comprising a forest rich in mahogany
Mahogany
The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....
and other valuable hardwood
Hardwood
Hardwood is wood from angiosperm trees . It may also be used for those trees themselves: these are usually broad-leaved; in temperate and boreal latitudes they are mostly deciduous, but in tropics and subtropics mostly evergreen.Hardwood contrasts with softwood...
s, were conducted that same year by Michael Fay
J. Michael Fay
J. Michael Fay is an American ecologist and conservationist notable for, among other things, the MegaTransect, in which he spent 455 days walking 3200 miles across Africa and the MegaFlyover in which he and pilot Peter Ragg spent months flying 70,000 miles in a small plane at low altitude, taking...
, a conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
with the WCS.
The encroachment of loggers and bush-meat poachers
Poaching
Poaching is the illegal taking of wild plants or animals contrary to local and international conservation and wildlife management laws. Violations of hunting laws and regulations are normally punishable by law and, collectively, such violations are known as poaching.It may be illegal and in...
in areas adjacent to the Nouabale-Ndoki National Park imperils conservation efforts throughout the region. Because logging will continue in the vicinity of the park, it is essential for key conservation areas to be identified and protected, before such encroachment permanently compromises the forests and threatens the integrity of the park itself.
In July 2001, representatives of the WCS, the Congolese government, and the logging company - which owned legal rights to the Goualougo Triangle - announced the area was to be annexed to the park, so its intact ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
and undisturbed wildlife
Wildlife
Wildlife includes all non-domesticated plants, animals and other organisms. Domesticating wild plant and animal species for human benefit has occurred many times all over the planet, and has a major impact on the environment, both positive and negative....
habitats would be protected in perpetuity.
Field research enabled by the annexation may lead to better models of human evolution
Human evolution
Human evolution refers to the evolutionary history of the genus Homo, including the emergence of Homo sapiens as a distinct species and as a unique category of hominids and mammals...
, because the chimpanzees will be protected from any other human interference. Data is being gathered on social organization, feeding ecology
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
and behavior. The chimpanzees of the Goualougo Triangle still enjoy the possibility of an unbounded and genetically robust future.
External links
- The Goualougo Triangle Ape Project - The official Homepage of the Goualougo Triangle Ape Project
- The Goualougo Triangle - Research in the Region by Scientists Drs. David Morgan & Crickette Sanz
- WorldWildlife.org - Congo Basin: About the Region
- NationalGeographic.com - Jane Goodall meets the chimpanzees of Congo's Goualougo Triangle
- Primates.com - Chimpanzees With Little Or No Human Contact Found In Remote African Rainforest
- AZA.org - Pilot Survey of the Goualougo Triangle Chimpanzee Population
- JaneGoodall.org - Jane Goodall Institute
- Animal-Rights-Library.com - Jane Goodall: Chimpanzees - Bridging the Gap
- Homepage of Dr. Crickette Sanz -