Chinko Project 1706 views

The Chinko Project exists through a public private partnership with the Central African Republic Ministry of Forestry, the Environment and Tourism. The project has a mandate to manage this important protected area for 50 years.Situated in the east of the Central African Republic, the Chinko Project comprises 17 600 km² of uninhabited Medio-Sudanian and Sudano Guinean savannah with some patches of Congolian rain forest and it is this mix of ecosystems that accounts for its unique and rich biodiversity. Recent research documented more than 10 primate species, both forest and savannah elephants, 23 even-toed ungulates, four ant-eating mammals, 21 carnivores including the African wild dog, lion and mongoose as well as 280 bird species. It is most well-known for the Eastern Giant Eland and Bongo. Once a wildlife paradise teeming with animals, since 1986 Chinko has been targeted by ivory and bush meat poachers, predominantly from Sudan. This project goes beyond conservation, it represents hope for stability and governance in one of the poorest regions on earth with an endless history of corruption, depletion of natural resources and military conflicts. The Chinko Project, as a governance body, supports local communities, protects the ecosystem, and maintains economic value through tourism – providing the key to a sustainable future for this thriving ecosystem.