LOPE

5 360 km ². The first protected area in Gabon, in the heart of the country. Bordered on the north by the Ogooué River, the park is bordered to the east and west by the Offoué and Mingoué rivers respectively. It covers a variety of landscapes, with, in the north, a mosaic of savanes and forests that is a characteristic of Lopé. However, the dense wet forest covers most of the park, while to the south peak peaks more than 600 m: the massif Du Chaillu crosses the reserve from north to south. The sparsely populated region guarantees quality protection for forest, fauna and flora, even though 20 years ago the park was the subject of a forestière forest. The activity ceased once the new forest code was promulgated in 2001. The reserve was classified as a national park in 2002. Since 2000, the very numerous mandrills have been subjected, with gorillas, to a research program at the Mikongo camp. A process of habituation of gorilla families to human presence is under way, in order to associate tourism development with the control of the reserve. 400 bird species make it a special point of interest for ornithologists. There is also a large elephant population. Many prehistoric sites (carved stones, rock art, low furnaces) attest to a human occupation of 350 000 years and constitute a unique cultural heritage in Central Africa. In June 2007, he was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site.