In the south of the Democratic Republic of Congo, amidst the remote wetlands of the Kamalondo Depression, a fleeting moment has reignited hope for one of Africa’s most elusive antelopes. The Upemba lechwe (Kobus anselli), unseen by science for decades, has finally been captured in a photograph—an image that may serve as both a testament to its resilience and a clarion call for its conservation.

In March 2025, during an aerial survey over the Zone Annex of  Upemba National Park, researchers observed a few of these rare antelopes moving through the swamps. While most of them vanished into the thick reeds, one individual paused just long enough for biologist Manuel Weber to take a photo—the first ever published photograph of this animal alive. Until now, the Upemba lechwe had been known only from museum specimens and field reports, its existence bordering on legend.

Vanishing Into the Marshes

Once numbering in the thousands in the 1970s, the Upemba lechwe’s population has plummeted due to decades of poaching. The recent aerial count found only ten individuals, suggesting that fewer than 100 survive. These antelopes, with their golden-brown coats and unique physical features, are now restricted to a single, shrinking range in the western portion of Upemba National Park.

With its long, lyre-shaped horns and swamp-adapted limbs, the Upemba lechwe is a wetland specialist—an ecological jewel in a vast floodplain. But without swift action, it may disappear before the world truly gets to know it.

Upemba – One of Africa’s Best-Kept Biodiversity Secrets

The Upemba landscape stretches over two ecological structures that are known for their endemism: The Kibara and Manika/Biano grassland plateaus, on the one hand, are known for their endemism particularly in dragonflies, plants, and birds. On the other hand, the Kamalondo depression wetlands  are a hotspot in fish diversity, with at least 2 endemic birds, and the Upemba lechwe.

Yet, although great work over the last 80 years has illustrated this, many of the elements are poorly documented, still unknown, or “lost to science” due to no recent records. Adding to that the mounting anthropogenic pressures, they are facing a situation with high stakes in terms of conservation.

“It is for this reason that we are trying to work on baselines of the status of Upemba’s biodiversity, to direct our management efforts where it is most needed,” said Manuel Weber.

The Upemba Lechwe is an important piece in the puzzle, since large mammals are the first taxon that vanishes, and because the population is endemic to the Kamalondo depression. This comes with great responsibilities for the park, since the success of the park’s efforts may be decisive on the survival or extinction of this population.

Conservation frontlines

Upemba National Park is no stranger to hardship. Once plagued by militia activity and dubbed the “triangle of death,” the park is now in the midst of a hopeful transformation.

The lechwe in Upemba National Park faces mounting threats, primarily from meat poaching and the increasing encroachment of agriculture into its habitat. Local poverty makes bushmeat a tempting source of income, placing significant pressure on this vulnerable species.

In response, targeted anti-poaching strategies are being developed, including the planned establishment of a new ranger outpost to boost surveillance and deterrence. Despite current resource limitations, efforts are underway to train and deploy 80 new rangers by September, strengthening the park’s protection capacity.

Community engagement is also a key pillar, with awareness campaigns focusing on the lechwe and other species. Alternative protein sources such as fish farming and improved fisheries are being introduced to reduce reliance on bushmeat and promote more sustainable livelihoods.

Immediate conservation actions

The following immediate conservation actions are being prioritized to safeguard the Upemba lechwe and reduce threats to its survival:

1. Establishing a permanent presence of rangers in the species’ core habitat to mitigate poaching and monitor the population.
2. Conducting additional ground and aerial surveys across the entire Kamalondo Depression to refine population estimates and assess human encroachment (and collect samples for genetic analysis).
3. Collecting data on the pressures affecting the species and evaluating the feasibility of in situ protection measures.
4. Deploying community conservation teams modeled on the successful “Hugo teams” from Virunga National Park. These teams will be composed of trained local residents who act as frontline conservation agents—raising awareness, monitoring wildlife, reporting threats, and serving as liaisons between the park and surrounding communities. Their presence will also help reduce pressure on the lechwe’s habitat and discourage poaching.

Community engagement

Currently, local communities are not involved in protecting the Upemba lechwe or included in awareness efforts—an urgent gap the park is now addressing. By engaging communities directly, the park aims to build local stewardship for the lechwe and its wetland habitat. This approach will be reinforced through broader sensitization campaigns and alternative livelihood options like sustainable fisheries and agriculture to reduce pressure on critical ecosystems.

Long term strategies

Saving the Upemba lechwe from extinction is about more than protecting a single species—it’s about securing an entire landscape with extraordinary but overlooked conservation value. By building Upemba’s profile around this rare antelope, the parks aims to raise awareness and catalyze action.

The lechwe share their habitat with Katanga’s elephants and other key species like the endemic black-lored waxbill. As a flagship species, the lechwe can serve as an umbrella for broader biodiversity conservation in the Kamalondo Depression, helping to protect this vital and vulnerable ecosystem as a whole.

How does the rediscovery of the Upemba lechwe influence broader conservation strategies in the region?

The rediscovery of the Upemba lechwe is a powerful reminder of the ecological richness of the Upemba landscape, one of the most unique ecosystems in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Although this species and the landscape itself have been largely overlooked for many years, the lechwe’s continued existence underscores the urgent need to refocus conservation attention and resources on this critical region.

This rediscovery reinforces the message that Upemba is not a forgotten landscape, but a national treasure that holds immense value for biodiversity, culture, and future generations. The lechwe, endemic to this ecosystem, is now a symbol of what is at stake. Its critically endangered status places a collective responsibility on all stakeholders, from local communities, government institutions, conservation partners, and to the international community to act decisively to prevent its extinction.

“We hope that the rediscovery of the Upemba lechwe generates attention for the landscape, and that this attention can be translated into conservation efforts that reflect the complexity of the landscape—in other words, that they yield ecologically sustainable outcomes while being socially acceptable,” said Tina Lain, park manager of Upemba.

How can the international community support the conservation of the Upemba lechwe?

The international community can play a critical role by elevating the Upemba lechwe to a global conservation priority—just as it did with the mountain gorillas of the Virunga Massif. With fewer than 100 individuals remaining, urgent and coordinated action is needed to prevent extinction, beginning with the protection of the species’ last remaining habitat.

Despite its ecological significance, the Upemba landscape remains under threat. An oil block overlapping this fragile area has been open for exploration since 2022, posing a major risk to the lechwe and the broader wetland ecosystem. Industrial developments such as oil extraction have no place in this irreplaceable biodiversity refuge.

Strong political will from the DRC, supported by sustained international technical and financial backing, is essential. Equally important is investing in alternatives that promote local development while safeguarding conservation goals—such as sustainable livelihoods, habitat restoration, and inclusive, community-led conservation.

Saving the Upemba lechwe is not only about protecting a species on the brink; it’s about securing the future of one of the DRC’s most biodiverse yet overlooked ecosystems. The time to act is now.

The post Rediscovered in a Forgotten Park: The Elusive Upemba Lechwe appeared first on African Conservation Foundation.

Upemba National Park stands as the largest national park in Katanga Province. Once teeming with majestic elephants, graceful zebras, and elegant impala numbering in the tens of thousands, Upemba has experienced a dramatic decline in biodiversity in recent years due to rampant illegal mining and poaching. However, hope remains, and “Restoring the Wild” captures the beginning of a powerful journey to tell the story of reclaiming nature’s lost glory.

In 2022, the team embarked on a remarkable assignment in Upemba, capturing the essence of the restoration process. Now, they are set to venture even deeper into the remote and inaccessible corners of the park to expand on this narrative. We invite you to join them in this adventure as they shine a light on the tireless efforts undertaken by Major Fils and his team to breathe new life into Upemba’s struggling ecosystem.

Forgotten parks like Upemba are not just lost spaces—they are critical components of our planet’s delicate balance. By building a global community that values and protects these natural treasures, we can make a significant impact on conservation efforts worldwide.

To stay connected and receive exclusive behind-the-scenes updates about the filming process and the ongoing protection of Upemba National Park, we encourage you to visit www.upembafilm.com and sign up for updates. Together, we can make a difference and restore the wild spaces that have been lost.

“Restoring the Wild” Credits:
Director: Carter Kirilenko
Producers: Carter Kirilenko, Sam Chevallier, Liam Kelly
Cinematographer: Justin Sullivan
Editor: Alessandra Squarzon and Carter Kirilenko
Production Company: ReWild Africa

Join the movement for environmental preservation and support the restoration of Upemba National Park.

The post Restoring the Wild: Upemba National Park’s Journey to Recovery Captured in Inspiring New Film appeared first on African Conservation Foundation.

Missing an important point?

Why should DRC have to pay the price for saving the planet on its own? One article, only one of many, made reference to how “the auction highlights a double standard that many political leaders across the African continent have called out: how can Western countries, which built their prosperity on fossil fuels that emit poisonous, planet-warming fumes, demand that Africa forgo their reserves of coal, oil and gas in order to protect everyone else?” And as rightly said by DRC’s representative on climate issues and advisor of the Minister of hydrocarbon, Tosi Mpanu Mpanu: “Maybe it’s time we get a level playing field and be compensated”.

Why is it so difficult for most mainstream media and environmental NGOs to discuss the co-responsibility of African national governments and Western countries. Of course we totally disapprove that countries, including DRC, are opening up their protected areas and pushing for fossil fuel exploitation and other destructive activities, with a flagrant disregard of national laws and violating the rights of nature and communities. However, these countries do have a point when they say that we can not work with double standards.

Double standards?

There are global outcries against the pushing for oil blocks in protected areas by national governments but we hear little about the fact that nearly none of the Western countries contributed to the Yasuni initiative. As a result, the Ecuadorian government allowed oil exploration in this critical habitat.

Also, why are there so many empty promises from western governments about climate commitments? This is not about prioritizing the needs of one country above another but it is about the failure of the world to take “the principle of co-responsibility in the battle against climate change.”

Quote from The Guardian: “This failure of the international community touches on the wider issue of justice in the battle against climate change. What level of responsibility should be taken by the developed nations that have most contributed to the problem of climate change and are most able to tackle it? And what is the responsibility of the less developed nations? Clearly, a just solution would see the more developed nations bare proportionally more of the responsibility?”

The global “debt” of Western countries by building their economies on fossil fuels, and at the continued expense of the Global South, is a critical point, but seems to be ignored by the international community.

Yasuni

In 2013 former Ecuadorian ambassador to the UK regretted to see how on Yasuní the world failed to show the will needed, and explained that we could not afford the world to fail on other proposals. This was a little less than ten years ago. One can only wonder how much we have learned from our mistakes and what is the international community going to do with Congo’s nature?

At the same time UN Secretary-General, António Guterres, warns of climate emergency and prompts for the creation of “climate coalitions, made up of developed countries, multilateral development banks, private financial institutions and corporations, supporting major emerging economies in making this shift.”

Maybe the awaited departure of the UN peacekeeping mission, MONUSCO, from the DRC could be a good start. An opportunity for the UN to show strong climate leadership, not only in words, but by reinvesting the current MONUSCO annual budget of $1 billion into something that the Congolese people really need and want. The UN could lead in the creation of a climate coalition for DRC and be the first pledging a $1 billion per year to protect DRC’s natural heritage in order to save the planet.

“The Monusco is one of the largest and most expensive UN missions in the world, Monusco has been in the DRC since 1999. It currently has more than 14,000 peacekeepers, with an annual budget of $1 billion.” 

Debt or investment?

While global debt could be a tool in specific situations, this option is still based on old thinking: that fossil fuels have a value and that developing countries have a right to exploit their resources. Times are changing. Through “progressive insights” we are now aware that carbon emissions from fossil fuels lead to global warming. Reality has changed.

We can not build future-proof societies based on old insights. Achieving sustainable, equitable development in a complex and dynamic world will require new ways of thinking and practice.

From a perspective of fairness, do African countries need to be compensated for leaving their focal fuels into the ground? Not directly, because that would sustain dependency, but indirectly: African countries could benefit from investments in sustainable (energy) sectors. In that way, Africa can skip a generation of old technologies, as well as old power structures, get a head start, develop and capitalise on new green technologies.

Instead of making fossil fuels the focus and compensation the means to achieve something, it would be more impactful to divert investments, and invest in green (energy) solutions in African countries and in carbon credits based on intact ecosystems. That will help countries right now by providing the means, while mobilising companies in economically better developed countries (and Asia etc) to reduce their emissions. That will spur real change at a global scale.

Co-responsibility

There is a responsibility to repay environmental debt by economically developed nations; as well as a responsibility for the DRC government to make sure that the kleptocratic system that has been benefiting from the looting of country resources is fully dismantled. The last thing Congo needs is more billions of dollars pouring in and out of the country without benefiting its nature and people.

Rather than only warning about global climate catastrophe, endangered species and disappearing rainforests, we need to provide alternative solutions that work, that are acceptable and equitable. If we really want to change and save the world it’s time we start changing our own perspectives and take our share of responsibility. Let’s mobilise organisations and resources for a DRC Climate Fund and invest in new green energy solutions that will place the country and its people at the steering wheel (not a backseat) of our drive to a carbon neutral future.

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Authors: Save Virunga & African Conservation Foundation

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