| With a very high forest cover (over 80%) and low population density (below 5 inhbts/km2), Gabon is still a forest biodiversity rich country. Gabon's forests are amongst the richest in Africa in terms of botanical diversity and endemism for example, 22% of plants described in the Flora of Gabon are endemic and the forests of Gabon have more plant species (estimated at 8000 species) than all of the forests of West Africa combined. The fauna is also rich, estimated at more than 190 mammal species, including at least 20 species of monkeys, more than 600 species of birds, 70 species of reptiles and 100 species of amphibians. About 35,000 gorillas and 64,000 chimpanzees dwell in Gabon forests and elephants number between 60,000 and 74,000 individuals. The... |
