Central African Republic

Nature of Central African Republic

The Dzanga-Sangha Reserve is part of a larger protected area, that crosses the border to Congo and Cameroon. It is the second largest rainforest area on earth.

 
Sangha River Tri-National Protected Area

The Dzanga-Sangha Reserve is part of the Sangha River Tri-National Protected Area (STN), an  initiative of the Central African Forest Comission (COMIFAC). 

Dzanga Sangha Reserve

The Dzanga-Sangha Reserve is made up of several areas, that each have a protective status:
  • Dzanga-Ndoki national park, comprised of two sectors, Dzanga (495 square kilometers) and Ndoki (725 square kilometers), 
  • Dzanga-Sangha Dense Forest Special Reserve (3,359 square kilometers)

Crossing borders

Apart from Dzanga Sangha and Dzanga-Ndoki, the protected area consists of :
  • Nouabalé Ndoki park in the Congo;
  • Lobéké park in Cameroon.

Unique natural landscape

The protected areas together are approximately 2.8 millions hectar. Away from densely ppoulated areas and traffice routes, they have been spared from intensive economic use for a long time. Thus, a unique natural landscape comprising a high density of large mammals has been preserved.


Dzanga Bai

The word "bai", from the Aka language of the pygmies, means according to some,

 
where the animals eat
or, in the case of the Dzanga Bai, 
 
the village of elephants
Dzanga Bai, measuring 250 by 500 meters and consisting of a sandy salt lick, is traversed in the middle by a small stream, the Dzanga.
 
Several trees that border the Bai are characteristic of the area:
  • In January and February, the Mokole (Lophira alata), also known as red ironwood, azobé, or ekki in English, has bright red young leaves that progessively turn orange-pink. In the light of dawn or at the end of the evening, they form astonishing fiery bouquets.
  • Flowering from April to June the Epopolo (Berlinia grandiflora) is covered with balls of large white flowers recalling giant rhododendrons.
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