Animal Info - The Democratic Republic of the Congo
(Also known as Congo or Congo-Kinshasa; formerly Belgian Congo, then
Zaire)
Contents
Threatened Species, Environmental
and Social Data (Mammals, Biodiversity/Ecosystems,
Population, Area/Land Use, Protected Lands, Economy, Education), References
and Links
Threatened Species
Threatened Species: The following list
includes all mammals which occur in The Democratic Republic of the Congo
and are rated as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU) in the
2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals.
- Critically Endangered:
- African Foggy Shrew (Crocidura caliginea). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Fuscous Shrew (Crocidura polia). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Gallagher's Free-tailed Bat (Chaerephon gallagheri). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Grauer's Shrew (Paracrocidura graueri). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Kasai Mouse (Mus kasaicus). (Endemic
to the Democratic Republic of the Congo.)
- Niangara Free-tailed Bat (Mops niangarae). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Poll's Shrew (Congosorex polli). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Schaller's Mouse Shrew (Myosorex schalleri). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Endangered:
- Vulnerable:
- Allen's Striped Bat (Chalinolobus
alboguttatus).
- African Golden Cat
(Profelis aurata).
- Anchieta's Pipistrelle (Bat) (Pipistrellus anchietai).
- Checkered Sengi
(Rhynchocyon cirnei).
- Cheetah (Acinonyx
jubatus).
- Congo Shrew (Crocidura congobelgica). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Dramatic Shrew (Crocidura ludia). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Humpback Whale (Megaptera
novaeangliae).
- Hun Shrew (Crocidura attila).
- Ja Slit-faced Bat (Nycteris major).
- Kivu Shrew (Crocidura kivuana). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Large-eared Free-tailed Bat (Otomops martiensseni).
- Latona Shrew (Crocidura latona). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Least Soft-furred Mouse (Praomys minor). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Lion (Panthera leo).
- Montane Mouse Shrew (Myosorex blarina).
- Morris' Bat (Myotis morrisi).
- Mountain Shrew (Sylvisorex oriundus). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Narrow-headed Shrew (Crocidura stenocephala). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Pied Bat (Chalinolobus
superbus).
- Rombo Shrew (Crocidura monax).
- Ruwenzori Shrew (Ruwenzorisorex suncoides).
- Spotted-necked Otter (Lutra maculicollis).
- Springhare (Pedetes capensis).
- West African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis).
- Yellowspotted Hyrax (Heterohyrax chapini (= H.
brucei)). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Zimmer's Shrew (Crocidura zimmeri). (Endemic to the Democratic Republic of the
Congo.)
- Other:
Environmental and Social Data
Mammals
Total number of species: 415 (Groombridge
& Jenkins 1994)
Number of endemic species: 28 (Groombridge & Jenkins 1994)
Number of threatened species: 1996:
38 (9 % of
total species) (IUCN 1996); 2000:
42 (10 % of total species) (IUCN 2000)
Biodiversity/Ecosystems
Democratic Republic of the Congo contains portions of the Albertine Rift
Highland Forests, Western Congo Basin Forests, Northeastern Congo Basin Forests, Southern
Congo Basin Forests, Zambezian Woodlands & Savannas, Sudanian Savannas, East African
Moorlands, Gulf of Guinea Rivers & Crater Lakes, Congo Basin Piedmont Rivers &
Streams, Congo River, Rift Valley Lakes, Guinean-Congolian Coast Mangroves, and Gulf of
Guinea Marine Ecosystems Global
200 Ecoregions (Olson &
Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999)
Democratic Republic of the Congo is a Megadiversity Country
(Cons. Intl. 1999b)
Population
Population in 1995: 44,060,000 (Natl.
Geog. Soc. 1995)
Population density in 1995: 18.8 people/sq km (48.7 people/sq mi) (Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995)
Population in 1998: 49,000,511 (World
Almanac 1999)
Average population growth rate, 1980 - 1990: 3.2 % (World Bank 1992)
Area/Land Use
Area: 2,345,411 sq km (905,568 sq mi) (Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995)
Percentages of primary world ecosystem types:
- Other Coastal Aquatic: 1 %
- Major Wetland: 8 %
- Grass and Shrub: 19 %
- Crop and Settlements: 3 %
- Interrupted Woods: 6 %
- Major Forests: 63 %
(Groombridge 1992)
Percent of land area classified as the following degree of human disturbance: Low:
45 %, Medium: 40 %, High: 15 % (WRI 1994)
Protected Lands
Area: 85,770 sq km (33,107 sq mi) (Groombridge
1992)
Percent of land protected: 3.64 % totally protected, 0.01 % partially protected,
3.65 % totally or partially protected (Groombridge
1992)
Economy
Per capita GDP ($ U.S.) (1996): $400 (World Almanac 1999)
Education
Percent of females in secondary education (1989): 16 % (World Bank 1992)
Percent adult literacy: Female: 61 % (1990), 22 % (1970); Male: 84 % (1990), 61 %
(1970) (WRI 1994)
References and Links
References: Cons. Intl. 1999b, Groombridge 1992, Groombridge
& Jenkins 1994, IUCN 1996, IUCN 2000,
IUCN 2004, Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995, Olson & Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999, World Almanac 1999, World Bank 1992, WRI 1994
General Links (After you get to one of these sites, click on the link
for the Democratic Republic of the Congo): CIA
World Factbook, Foreign
Embassies of Washington, D.C., Library
of Congress - Country Studies, University
of Texas - Country Maps, Washington
Post - Countries, World
Resources Institute - Country Profiles; Links for the Democratic
Republic of the Congo: CARPE (Central African
Regional Program for the Environment)
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Last modified: February 19, 2006;
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