The status of savanna carnivores in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, northern Republic of Congo

Lions (Panthera leo) are likely extinct in the Republic of Congo and neighboring Gabon, with no signs detected during extensive surveys in Odzala-Kokoua National Park. However, the park remains critical for hyena tachetée (Crocuta crocuta) conservation, as 46 individuals were documented through 154 camera-trap photographs over 424 days of monitoring. The study also recorded smaller carnivores like leopards (Panthera pardus), servals (Leptailurus serval), and African golden cats (Caracal aurata). Researchers covered 460 km on foot, combining trail surveys with camera traps to assess the status of savanna carnivores in this isolated mosaic landscape. These findings underscore Odzala-Kokoua's regional importance for hyenas and smaller predators amid declining lion populations.

Henschel, P., Malanda, G.-A., & Hunter, L. (2014). The status of savanna carnivores in the Odzala-Kokoua National Park, northern Republic of Congo. Journal of Mammalogy, 95(4), 882–892. https://doi.org/10.1644/13-mamm-a-306