Mangroves National Park

This article is about the Ramsar wetland in the eastern part of the DR Congo. For the UAE national park, see Mangrove National Park, Abu Dhabi.

Mangroves National Park (also French: Parc marin des Mangroves or Muanda Marine Reserve) is a protected area and Ramsar wetland in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the country's only marine park and is notable for its mangrove forests. It provides protection to the endangered manatee population situated at the mouth of the Congo River.^[2] These mangroves are distinct from the ones found in South Asia. They form a separate type of mangrove forests, which are typical to the Democratic Republic of Congo.^{[citation needed]} The park was established in 1992.^[2]

Mangroves National Park Réserve marine de Muanda
IUCN category II (national park)
Location	Democratic Republic of the Congo
Coordinates	5°45′S 12°45′E
Area	768 km2
Established	1992
Governing body	l'Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN)
Ramsar Wetland
Official name	Parc national des Mangroves
Designated	18 January 1996
Reference no.	788[1]

Geography

At 768 km² (297 sq mi) in size, the park is DR Congo's smallest protected area.^[2]

Flora and fauna

In addition to the manatee, the area supports hippopotamuses, crocodiles, snakes,^[2] and Southern reedbuck. The bushbuck may also be present.^[3]