A female Sitatunga, Tragelaphus spekii, runs through the Langoue River while another watches warily in the background. Langoue Bai. Ivindo National Park, Gabon.

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Ivindo National Park

Gabon


This 3000-sq-km national park provides the rare opportunity to view forest animals undisturbed in their own environment. The best location to do this is at Langoué Baï, a marshy clearing in the forest whose minerals act as a magnet for large numbers of forest elephants, western lowland gorillas, sitatungas, buffaloes, monkeys and rare bird species. There are also impressive waterfalls at Kongou and Mingouli.

Permits are available from the ANPN office in Makokou. The Conservation Officer is Joseph Okouyi (phone 07 90 55 13).