Odzala, A Green Lung of the Earth

Congo-Brazzaville is a green treasure of pure nature. The Congo Basin is home to the second largest rainforest in the world and is where the Odzala-Kokoua National Park is located. This park helps protect one of the most beautiful and intact rainforests on our planet where more than 500 different wildlife species are at home, in addition to thousands of plants. One important fact not known to many is that the Odzala also helps safeguard the very air that we breathe, and plays a role in ensuring the survival of life on earth.

Odzala-Kokoua lies in the North-West of the Republic Congo-Brazzaville. It is larger than the Bahamas, Jamaica or Puerto Rico, or the same size as three and a half thousand soccer fields! The region has been a National Park since 1935, making Odzala a senior member within the protected areas in Africa and one of the oldest national parks on the continent.

A distinctive feature of Odzala is the bais. Like islands these clearings lie in the middle of an ocean of trees: marshy areas typically between one and ten hectares in size. Even the shiest inhabitants of Odzala come here to drink. Gorillas and forest elephants leave the protection of the forest in search of the precious minerals and salts contained in the bais soils.

This vast, wild region holds globally significant populations of Western Lowland Gorilla and Forest Elephant as well as a plethora of other species: 430 bird species and more than 100 mammal species. It has the highest number (11) of diurnal primates for any forest block in central Africa, as well as central Africa’s highest density of Chimpanzees.

Other species include Forest Buffalo, Leopard, Bongo, Giant Forest Hog and Hippo. Clouds of spectacular butterflies are characteristic of the region. The trees are spectacular and delicate orchids cling to the branches, while the forest floor is littered with an incredible array of pods, fruits, flowers and fungi.

A visit to Odzala is enjoyable any time of year. June through September and December through February are the driest periods. During these periods the air can be relatively hazy and the humidity is lower, but rainfall during these times can still occur and be quite variable. During the wetter months, tropical rainstorms contrast with sustained periods of clear blue skies and beautiful limpid light for photography.