CONGO UNCOVERED

Camera-traps reveal the wondrous, rarely seen species of the mysterious Congo rainforest

- WILL BURRARD-LUCAS

THE CONGO RAINFOREST IS ONE of the most biologically rich and ecologically important places on Earth. Stretching across six countries and spanning more than two million km², it's home to more than 400 species of mammal, including western lowland gorillas, chimpanzees and forest elephants. Yet much of this biodiversity remains hidden behind a veil of vegetation, rarely glimpsed by human eyes.

Over the course of a year, I set out on a project to lift that veil with a suite of camera-traps deep in the forest. My focus was on Nouabalé-Ndoki National Park, in the far north of the Republic of the Congo - one of the last truly pristine corners of the Congo basin. The project wasn't just about creating striking images. My goal was also to document seldom-seen and little-known species and produce a body of work that could quietly advocate for the protection of this hidden world.

Getting to Nouabalé-Ndoki was an expedition in itself. After flying into Brazzaville, we drove for 12 hours to the remote town of Ouesso, then spent five hours heading up the Sangha River by boat to reach the park headquarters at Bomassa. From there, the journey continued by four-wheel drive and dugout canoe, followed by a trek through the rainforest to reach Mbeli Bai - a natural clearing in the forest and one of the best places in Central Africa to observe secretive forest wildlife. Here, rare animals such as sitatungas (swamp-dwelling antelopes) emerge to feed, drink and socialise.