Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve
Port Lympne Hotel and Reserve
Cooperation with Congo-Brazzaville and the neighbouring state of Gabon since 1987

The Aspinall Foundation has been working with the governments of the Congo-Brazzaville and the neighbouring state of Gabon since 1987 to protect a one million acres area within the unique savannah ecosystem of the Batéké Plateau.

These projects, "Projet Protection des Gorilles", (PPG) are working with local partners to stop the rapid decline of critically endangered western lowland gorillas (whose numbers were down by 60% in the past 20-25 years).

image
SAVING GORILLAS

Thanks to our active conservation work in this region, we have reintroduced in the wild over 70 critically endangered western lowland gorillas who continue to thrive in our sanctuary and have been successfully breeding since then.

image
GORILLA REUNION

Damian Aspinall's Extraordinary Gorilla Encounter

Featured in the programme 'Gorilla Gorilla' on Animal Planet

image

What are we doing

image
The Aspinall Foundation works to protect around one million acres within the unique savannah ecosystem of the Batéké Plateau.

2. WILDLIFE CRIME PROGRAMME
In both Congo & Gabon we have arrested hundreds of poachers, in fact, in the Gabon we were the first to ever make an arrest. Congo’s collaborative project “PALF” aims to reduce the overall level of illegal hunting and trade of animals and, or their by-products in the Republic of Congo. To date it has celebrated significant success, following over 300 wildlife cases, including seizures of live animals, pelts, ivory and other animal products.

Park Rangers

image
We support the park rangers who work to protect this bio-diversity hotspot, where species such as forest elephant, serval, de Brazza’s monkey, red river hog, hippopotamus and forest buffalo are recovering due to this protection.

The success of our anti-poaching activities has been widely praised by national governments and NGOs

Academic Research

image
We are working within global conservation strategies from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and the Great Apes Survival Project (GRASP) as well as alongside species specific, reintroduction specialist groups.

We publish academic reports in international publications, and have featured in journals, such as the National Geographic and national newspapers such as The Daily Telegraph and The Independent.

PALF founded the Sniffer Dog Program in 2014, the first of its kind in the sub-region.

By increasing awareness and prosecuting offenders, the project, now operating separately from PALF as PRC Congo and supported by The Aspinall Foundation, aims to reduce the overall level of illegal hunting and trade in the Republic of Congo. To date it has celebrated some significant successes, including seizures of live animals, animal pelts, ivory, and other animal products.

KEY MILESTONES
Since 1989

TAF have released over 70 western lowland gorillas rescued as orphans in situ and later from UK

We have had

over 35 births to released gorillas to date. These births have all been to wild born gorillas.

Since 1999

we have transferred 28 western lowland gorillas from Europe to Gabon or Congo (26 from our parks, 2 from France)

Did you know that...

1. The scientific name of western lowland gorillas sound like the title of a song: “Gorilla gorilla gorilla”
2. Western lowland gorillas are the smallest and most widespread subspecies of gorilla.
3. Gorillas have a vegetarian diet and they eat mostly fruit and plants like wild celery, roots and tree bark and pulp.

Worth knowing

4. Gorillas live in groups of up to 30 individuals called troops. They are found on the ground even if they are able to climb trees.
5. The western lowland gorilla population is in constant decline and it is categorised as critically endangered by the IUCN. For this reason, the Aspinall Foundation’s conservation work and the established protected area in the Batéké Plateau are a great effort in the preservation of this species.

image
image
image
image

Working on

image
The Bateke Plateau is our flagship conservation project, once an area where wildlife had been driven out due to hunting and poaching,

it is now a thriving ecosystem, where gorillas, forest elephants and even a lion have been spotted.

Foundation built the 1st

image
In 1989 we built the first ever gorilla orphanage in Congo-Brazzaville, and since then we have rescued over 100 gorillas orphaned by the bush meat trade and poaching.

We have reintroduced over 70 gorillas back into the wild, including 26 who traveled from our Parks in Kent. Many have formed new family groups and are producing young family members.

7 African painted dogs'

image
In 2019 we sent a pack of 7 African painted dogs bred in the UK at Port Lympne to a protected reserve in Gabon.

Painted dogs are the only living members of the genus Lycaon and are so genetically divergent from wolves and dogs. This is the first time African painted dogs have lived in Gabon for over 25 years.

SPECIES SPOTLIGHT
The Boumangos

The Boumangos troop is formed by Boumango, Otala, Mpassi, Lekoko and Okeli.

The Rafas

The troop of the Rafas is represented today by Rafa, the lead, and his female Mbwambe. Okeli was part of this troop until she decided to join the Boumangos in May 2020.

The Tongas

The Tongas are the troop that ranges farthest north with 10 members of the group including Tonga, Zora and her infant Uzuri.

image
image
image
image
image
image
image

HOW YOU CAN HELP