Pictures of conservation in Gabon

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All images are the property of Rhett A. Butler / mongabay.com, copyright 2006. Contact me regarding use and reproduction.

Surveying crocodile hatchlings Ecotourism guide in Loango Park, Gabon Tourists watching a forest elepahnt in Gabon Ecotourist guide in the rainforest Barefoot rainforest guide Eco-tourism guide hiking in savanna in Gabon Finding frogs by flashlight Gorilla handler with young gorillas Teaching young gorillas forest skills Gorilla trainer helping orphaned gorillas learn forest skills Gorilla handler helping an orphaned gorilla learn forest skills Gorilla handler helping a gorilla orphan learn forest skills Gorilla handler helping gorilla orphans learn forest skills Gorilla caretaker with infant gorilla Eco-tourism guide in Gabon Ecotourism guide in Gabon Akaka camp, Loango National Park, Gabon Ecotourist guide walking through the rainforest of Gabon Rain forest guide sitting in a kayak Rainforest guide sitting in a canoe Tourist and guides looking for birds Rainforest guide

Guides often walk barefoot through the rainforest in Gabon despite numerous parasites that reside in forest soils Guide preparing to call monkeys by creating a distrubance Guide preparing to call monkeys by creating a distrubance Guide preparing to call monkeys by creating a distrubance Patrick, rainforest guide Patrick, nature guide, in the rainforest of Gabon Patrick, ecotourist guide, in the rainforest of Gabon Guides examining elephant tusk damage to a rain forest tree Guides examining elephant tusk damage to a rain forest tree Guide Patrick burning Okume resin, a natural fire starter Guide Patrick burning Okume resin Wildlife photographer in Loango lagoon Wildlife photographer in Loango lagoon Wildlife photographer in Loango lagoon Wildlife photographer on sandbar in Loango lagoon Wildlife guide Gabonese guide observing the forest Guide observing the forest Large caliber bullet found in Loango National park Mike Fay's toilet in Gabon Wildlife photographer Vehicle tracks in Loango National Park Vehicle track across Loango National Park Solar power panels at Akaka camp Guide examining a fallen canopy tree Guide examining a fallen canopy tree Guide examining a fallen canopy tree Solar panels and dugout canoes

Related articles Rainforest logging threatens endangered sea turtles February 25, 2006 Logging is having an unexpected impact on endangered sea turtles in Central Africa, reports a new study published in Oryx. Aerial surveys in Gabon reveal that logs lost during transport are clogging beaches, preventing critically endangered leatherback turtles (Dermochelys coriacea) from nesting. Central Africa's 'Most Beautiful Waterfall' to be destroyed November 4, 2007 One of Africa's most dramatic waterfalls will be destroyed by a hydroelectric project in Gabon, according to reports from a Gabonese NGO and the Inter Press Service (IPS). When elephants attack. Surviving an elephant charge in the Congo rainforest of Gabon June 26, 2006 The elephant charges. The ground trembles. Hearts racing, we are now sprinting through the forest dodging vegetation as the elephant plows right through it. The problem with being chased by an elephant, aside from their obvious size advantage, is they can run faster than you. While wild elephants can be dangerous animals under the right circumstances, other creatures are responsible for more deaths in Africa. Topping the list is the hippo, whose penchant for capsizing canoes that come too close results in the dumping of passengers who often can't swim. Buffalo, crocodiles, and lions are directly responsible for more deaths and injuries. Roads tied to bushmeat hunting in Africa May 9, 2006 A new study ties the presence of roads to bushmeat hunting in the Congo rainforest and also raises important questions for global conservation. The study, published in the current edition of Conservation Biology, found that roads and associated hunting pressure reduced the abundance of a number of mammal species including duikers, forest elephants, buffalo, red river hogs, lowland gorillas, and carnivores. The research suggests that even moderate hunting pressure can significantly affect the structure of mammal communities in central Africa. Gabon sets aside 10 percent of country as protected parks September 24, 2005 An unprecedented 10 percent of nation’s land mass is set aside for gorillas, elephants and chimps. In a move that sets a new standard in African conservation, the nation of Gabon, which contains some of the most pristine tropical rainforests on earth, announced today that it will set aside 10 percent of its land mass for a system of national parks. Up to this point, Gabon had no national park system. The Gabonese government has been working closely with The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) on conservation issues for the past ten years. The announcement is a major victory for Africa’s wildlife. Poaching, Logging, Ebola Threaten Great Apes September 1, 2005 A combination of natural and man-made threats is killing gorillas and chimpanzees in Central Africa, and experts say $30 million is needed for special programs to save some of mankind’s closest relatives from disappearing.