Sangha Trinational

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Sangha Trinational

UNESCO World Heritage Site
African forest elephants at Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in Congo
Includes	Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park Congo Lobéké National Park Cameroon Dzanga-Ndoki National Park Central African Republic
Reference	1380rev
Inscription	2012 (36th Session)
Area	7,463.09 km2 (1,844,170 acres)
Buffer zone	17,879.5 km2 (4,418,121 acres)
Coordinates	2°36′34″N 16°33′15″E / 2.60944°N 16.55417°E / 2.60944; 16.55417
Location of Sangha Trinational in Africa

Sangha Trinational (French: Trinational de la Sangha, TNS) is a forest divided between the nations of Central African Republic, Cameroon and Congo-Brazzaville. It was added as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012 because of its outstanding biodiversity and unique biological communities.^[1][2] The site includes 3 contiguous national parks within the humid tropical forests of Central Africa: Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park in Congo, Lobéké National Park in Cameroon, and Dzanga-Ndoki National Park in Central African Republic. The large size of the site and the relatively limited amount of deforestation within the three parks has allowed populations of vulnerable species such as African forest elephants, gorillas, sitatunga, and chimpanzees to thrive.^[1] In addition, populations of critically endangered plant species such as Mukulungu are protected within the site's borders.

The Dzanga-Sangha reserve website lists 103 species of mammals visible in the Sangha landscape, including 16 species of monkey, 13 species of carnivore, the most represented group being rodents with 33 species, while chiropterans have not been counted. Emblematic species include forest elephants, lowland gorillas, chimpanzees, Colobus monkeys (locally known as “Magistrats”), bongos, large antelopes and forest buffaloes, Potamochoerus and Giant forest hog (two genera of African wild boar), small antelopes of the Cephalophus genus (six species), Aardvark, two species of Pangolins and, last but not least, carnivores, african clawless otter and leopard.^[3]

An initial census of bats in the Dzanga-Ndoki park identified some thirty species belonging to six families.

Birds are represented by 379 species in 66 families, including 109 species found exclusively in the forest, such as the Sangha robin (Stiphrornis sanghensis). Also present is the Grey-necked rockfowl, typical of the region. The Grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus), like other bird species, has been illegally captured in abundance in the region for live sale.^[4]

A herpetological study carried out in and around the Nouabalé-Ndoki protected area identified 20 species of amphibian and 14 species of reptile. ^[5]

Insects are represented by 316 butterfly species in at least ten families, including the region's two largest butterflies: Druryaan timachus and D. zalmoxis. There are also 101 species of coprophagous beetles, 61 species of odonates, 31 species of locusts, numerous hymenopterans such as ants (including the Magnan), Melipona bees and wasps, termites and many other families.

71 species of Mantis (Mantodea) were catalogued on the basis of 1,232 specimens collected between 1984 and 2012. (The authors of the publication indicate that taxonomy and species classification require revision).^[6]

A genetic analysis of 153 earthworm specimens collected in 2012 identified 22 molecular species, all of which are probably new to science, as no studies had been carried out before.