Protecting Gabon, Africa’s Last Eden

Gabon is a global conservation powerhouse — home to one of the world’s largest and most diverse wild ecosystems — and a country showing what large-scale nature protection can look like.

Located along the Atlantic coast of Central Africa, Gabon is one of the most densely forested countries on Earth, with nearly 90% of its land mass covered by trees. It sustains roughly two-thirds of Africa’s remaining forest elephants, as well as gorillas, hippos, chimpanzees, and pangolins. Gabon’s waters are equally precious, sheltering endangered humpback dolphins, whale calving grounds, and more than 60 species of sharks and rays, many of which are critically endangered. Up to 30% of the world’s leatherback turtles come to Gabon’s pristine beaches to nest. 

The country has taken a proactive approach to protecting its natural heritage, creating nine marine parks and 11 aquatic reserves in 2017 — safeguarding nearly 30% of its waters — well ahead of countries that have since taken similar steps. In addition, Gabon has protections in place for 21% of its land, including 13 national parks. 

WildAid partners with government ministries, local leaders and communities to build on this momentum and preserve Gabon’s incredible biodiversity for generations to come.

Protecting forests and wildlife

Despite efforts, illegal logging remains a real problem across Gabon’s forests, while illegal wildlife hunting and trafficking threatens some of the world’s most iconic and vulnerable species. With the support of the U.S. Embassy in Libreville, WildAid has launched a new campaign to promote forest conservation and underline the economic, environmental, and social costs of illegal logging. Working with Gabonese influencers, and celebrating Gabonese conservationists, we aim to reinforce national pride in and appreciation of the country’s magnificent natural wealth. 

We also work directly with forest-adjacent rural communities to support legal, sustainable resource use. In forest regions, we partner with Conservation Justice and Brainforest to raise awareness around legal forest management and community rights — especially as Gabon updates its Forestry Code and expands community-protected areas. These efforts build on real successes, including communities that have successfully pushed back against illegal logging concessions. We are also working with Conservation Justice to train government officials in how to investigate and prosecute environmental crime, especially illegal logging.

These efforts come in the wake of previous communications campaigns aimed at strengthening environmental awareness and pride while supporting government conservation efforts. Our Bushmeat Campaign focused on reducing demand for wild meat by educating urban consumers about its environmental and health impacts and explaining new laws prohibiting exploitation of pangolins and bats. Our Wonders of Gabon Campaign spotlighted the country’s extraordinary biodiversity and natural beauty, encouraging ecotourism and reinforcing national pride in protecting what makes Gabon unique.

Combatting illegal fishing

Gabon’s rich coastal waters are highly vulnerable to illegal, unreported, and unregulated fishing. Illegal fishing costs Gabon an estimated $610 million every year — roughly 3% of the country’s GDP — draining public resources and threatening food security, marine ecosystems, and livelihoods. WildAid’s marine program in Gabon strengthens the ability of local communities and authorities to protect their coastal waters and fisheries from illegal fishing. We support a comprehensive approach to marine protection that combines monitoring and surveillance with training, mentorship, community engagement, and sustained support. 

In the past year alone, these strengthened enforcement efforts led to more than 430 inspections at sea and the identification of 77 fishing infractions — clear evidence that improved monitoring and surveillance can meaningfully deter illegal activity when properly resourced and supported.

Alongside enforcement, WildAid works directly with artisanal fishing communities. In 2025, WildAid and Gabon’s Ministry of the Sea, Fisheries, and Blue Economy completed a series of six community workshops across Coco Beach, Libreville, Kango, Port-Gentil, Olendé, and Omboué. These workshops helped clarify fishing regulations, legal gear requirements, and protection measures for endangered species such as sea turtles, manatees, and goliath groupers — all of which must be released if caught accidentally. 

Together, these efforts help deter illegal activity, protect endangered species, and ensure that Gabon’s coastal communities can continue to rely on the ocean for food, livelihoods, and economic resilience. 

Promoting accountability and supporting journalists

Looking ahead, we are working with the government to establish a national, anonymous environmental crime reporting hotline, that will further empower citizens to report illegal activity safely — turning public concern into action and reinforcing community stewardship of Gabon’s forests.

A free and informed press is essential to accountability. WildAid is building the capacity of Gabonese journalists through investigative reporting training and the launch of the country’s first environmental journalism awards. By elevating high-quality reporting on environmental crime and celebrating storytelling on the nation’s forests, wildlife, and marine ecosystems, we’re helping bring these issues into public discourse and strengthening transparency.

Gabon shows what’s possible 

Gabon is one of the rare places where nature still thrives at scale, but its future is not guaranteed. Preserving Gabon’s forests and waters is critical not only for species like forest elephants and leatherback turtles, but for local communities, global biodiversity, and the health of our planet. 

WildAid’s work in Gabon shows that conservation succeeds when it focuses on people as much as wildlife, by strengthening enforcement, supporting communities, and changing behaviors that drive environmental harm.

Save the date! Our February 19th livestream is all about the wonders of Gabon

Join us for WildAid Live: Gabon on Thursday, February 19 at 11am PST / 2pm EST for a 35-minute exploration of Gabon’s extraordinary biodiversity. Learn how WildAid is protecting iconic species like lowland gorillas, African forest elephants, and leatherback sea turtles, while safeguarding critical habitats on land and in the ocean. Register here!