Instagram – June 23rd, 2020

Good news! This camera trap from The Republic of Congo captured a shot of an extremely rare mandrill deep in the Odzala-Kokoua Park. Although mandrills have been spotted further north, this is the first visual evidence of one outside their home range in Gabon. ⁣
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Wonderful news! ⁣
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Thank you as ever to @africanparksnetwork and @ccc_odzala for their commitment to this incredible area and the wildlife within it 🌍 🍃 ⁣

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Exciting news from Odzala-Kokoua National Park in the Republic of Congo – a mandrill was recently captured on camera set up by the @ccc_odzala! This species, listed as vulnerable by the IUCN, naturally occurs in the tropical rainforests of Cameroon, Gabon, and Equatorial Guinea, and parts of the Congo, but this is the first visual recording of the species in Odzala. The mandrill is the world’s largest monkey and their group, or horde, sizes measure over 600 individuals on average, though it appears this male was alone as is common with emigrating males outside of the breeding season. The video capture of such a rare species underscores the value of camera traps in improving our knowledge of such a diverse landscape. The Congo Government’s commitment to conserving this globally important ecosystem has created a sanctuary for threatened wildlife, allowing for ecotourism activities by the Congo Conservation Company who contribute to the long-term sustainability of this area for both people and wildlife. A special thanks to Barbara Kingsolver for her donation of camera traps which allowed us to capture this footage. Click the link in our bio to read the full press release. 🎥 @ccc_odzala