KnowKi

Key Places for biodiversity

Learn the wildlife of the Forests of the Congo Basin

Central Africa

Fhe Forests of the Congo Basin is one of E.O. Wilson's Key Places, irreplaceable for life on Earth. 3,589 species have research-grade observations there on iNaturalist, and KnowKi turns the most recorded into short lessons with real photos.

Central Congolian lowland forests, Republic of Congo and Gabon

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Āki the kiwi, KnowKi's guide

Most recorded here

The species with the most research-grade observations on iNaturalist, and how many each has. Most recorded doesn't mean native.

Birds

  1. Palm-nut Vulture Gypohierax angolensis262
  2. Woodland Kingfisher Halcyon senegalensis178
  3. Congo Pied Hornbill Lophoceros fasciatus175
  4. Common Bulbul Pycnonotus barbatus171
  5. Village Weaver Ploceus cucullatus169
  6. Blue-breasted Bee-eater Merops variegatus135
  7. Black-casqued Hornbill Ceratogymna atrata126
  8. Bronze Mannikin Spermestes cucullata113
  9. Great Blue Turaco Corythaeola cristata112
  10. Western Cattle-Egret Ardea ibis111

Plants

  1. Diospyros whitei109
  2. Hooded Harlequin Eulophia cucullata54
  3. Ground Pineapple Thonningia sanguinea52
  4. Bolo bolo Clappertonia ficifolia47
  5. African corkwood tree Musanga cecropioides34
  6. Lophira alata33
  7. Sensitive Plant Mimosa pudica32
  8. African Spiral Flag Costus lucanusianus31
  9. Siam weed Chromolaena odorata30
  10. African Coromandel Asystasia intrusa27

Mammals

  1. Forest Elephant Loxodonta cyclotis557
  2. African Buffalo Syncerus caffer364
  3. Western Gorilla Gorilla gorilla327
  4. Sitatunga Tragelaphus spekii197
  5. Moustached Monkey Cercopithecus cephus174
  6. Putty-nosed Monkey Cercopithecus nictitans139
  7. Mandrill Mandrillus sphinx137
  8. Common Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius128
  9. Chimpanzee Pan troglodytes105
  10. Red River Hog Potamochoerus porcus97

Insects

  1. Lucia Widow Palpopleura lucia76
  2. Little Pansy Junonia sophia75
  3. Common Glider Cymothoe caenis67
  4. Dancing Amber Telchinia serena67
  5. Small Striped Swordtail Graphium policenes66
  6. Variegated grasshopper Zonocerus variegatus58
  7. Forest Leopard Phalanta eurytis53
  8. Western Honey Bee Apis mellifera52
  9. Pale Babul Blue Azanus mirza51
  10. Plain Tiger Butterfly Danaus chrysippus50

Spiders and kin

  1. Gasteracantha curvispina54
  2. Hairy Golden Orb-weaving Spider Trichonephila fenestrata52
  3. Opisthacanthus africanus36
  4. Argiope flavipalpis36
  5. Pantropical Huntsman Spider Heteropoda venatoria33
  6. Nephila constricta26
  7. Trichonephila turneri23
  8. African Hermit Spider Nephilingis cruentata20
  9. Isoxya kochi17

Reptiles

  1. Central African slender-snouted crocodile Mecistops leptorhynchus169
  2. Nile Monitor Varanus niloticus144
  3. Peters's Rock Agama Agama picticauda104
  4. Eroded Hingeback Tortoise Kinixys erosa87
  5. Tropical House Gecko Hemidactylus mabouia77
  6. Speckle-lipped Mabuya Trachylepis maculilabris62
  7. African Rock Python Python sebae56
  8. Black-lined Plated Lizard Gerrhosaurus nigrolineatus51
  9. Nkoelon Half-toed Gecko Hemidactylus coalescens43
  10. Emerald Snake Hapsidophrys smaragdina41

Amphibians

  1. Golden Puddle Frog Phrynobatrachus auritus43
  2. African foam-nest tree frog Chiromantis rufescens38
  3. Scotobleps gabonicus28
  4. Mottled Squeaker Arthroleptis poecilonotus27
  5. Hylarana lepus25
  6. Crowned bullfrog Hoplobatrachus occipitalis24
  7. Olive Reed Frog Hyperolius olivaceus22
  8. Gaboon Forest Tree Frog Leptopelis aubryi21
  9. Forest White-lipped Frog Hylarana albolabris21
  10. Olive Striped Frog Hylambates leonardi19

Fish

  1. Banded Jewel Cichlid Hemichromis elongatus62
  2. Coptodon tholloni62
  3. Atlantic Mudskipper Periophthalmus barbarus51
  4. Long-fin Tetra Bryconalestes longipinnis25
  5. Bream Bulldog Marcusenius moorii17
  6. Banded Lampeye Aplocheilichthys spilauchen15
  7. Flametail Featherfin Tetra Bryconaethiops macrops15
  8. West African Freshwater Goby Awaous lateristriga15
  9. Longfin Crevalle Jack Caranx fischeri14
  10. Guinea Snapper Lutjanus endecacanthus13

How a trip works

A trip has its own trail of lessons: meet six species, match them to new photos, then practice with four choices. Species you learn go into your Fieldbook, and starting a trip earns its Passport stamp. Your home place stays as it is.

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Species lists and counts from research-grade observations on iNaturalist, as of October 2026. KnowKi is not affiliated with the E.O. Wilson Biodiversity Foundation. Free, with no ads, no account and no purchases.