With vast undulating grassland savannah amidst dense equatorial forest, Garamba National Park in north-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is one of the oldest national parks in Africa. With abundant food and water resources, the park provides excellent habitat for a variety of mammal species, such as notable elephant and giraffe populations. The grasslands feature lion and buffalo, while species such as chimpanzee, giant forest hog and golden cat thrive in the forest areas.
Garamba was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1980, but over the decades endured periods of conflict and ivory poaching, which led to steep declines in wildlife populations. In 2005, the Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) entered into a management partnership agreement with African Parks for Garamba, however, instability in the region continued to threaten communities and wildlife over the next decade. In 2016, African Parks, together with the ICCN, revised its approach by implementing new systems to improve conservation law enforcement and bring stability to the park and its surrounds. By 2020, ivory poaching had decreased and elephant numbers stabilised, while other wildlife numbers steadily increased. Tens of thousands of people living around the park have benefitted from the provision of schools, healthcare, and investments in sustainable development and enterprise. In a region with little economic opportunity, Garamba employs almost 500 full-time local staff. This historic park now serves as an anchor for regional stability and the source of a brighter future for people and wildlife.
In 2025, following the signing of a long-term partnership to manage Kundelungu National Park, African Parks and the ICCN renewed its partnership for Garamba, reinforcing their shared commitment to conservation and sustainable development in the DRC.
