Many new Species Discovered in the Congo Basin

Over the last decade, 742 new wildlife and plant species have been discovered in the Congo Basin, according to WWF’s New Life in the Congo Basin: A Decade of Species Discoveries (2013–2023) report).
This remarkable collection includes previously unknown plants, invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. Among the discoveries are unique orchids, new coffee species, clawed frogs, crocodiles, electric fish, owls, spiders, turtles, and even a monkey species locally known as the “lesula.”

These findings highlight not only the incredible biodiversity of the Congo Basin, but also the urgent need for conservation to safeguard its fragile ecosystems. As the world’s largest carbon sink, the Congo Basin absorbs more carbon than the Amazon and contains the planet’s largest tropical peatland. Spanning six countries, its rain forest sustains food security and livelihoods for Indigenous and local communities while providing critical habitats for endangered species like forest elephants and gorillas.