Wildlife of Loango

Few parks put rainforest animals, savanna grazers and marine life in one coastal strip. Sightings vary, which is part of the appeal.

Mother and calf elephant walking through forest

Why the mix is so unusual

Loango protects about 1,550 square kilometres of beach, coastal forest, swamp forest, savanna, mangrove and lagoon. Animals move between these habitats, so species usually associated with deep forest can appear in open country and on the shore.

Gabon as a whole holds nearly 200 mammal species and around 600 bird species. Loango is one of the best places in the country to see a cross-section of them.

Animals to look for

Forest elephants

Smaller than savanna elephants, with straighter tusks. They feed in the forest and are known for walking onto the beach. Sources disagree on the best months: some favour June to September, while operators based in the park report more beach sightings in the rainy season.

Forest buffalo

Often seen grazing the savanna edges and at times on the sand.

Red river hogs

Bristly, rust-coloured pigs that sometimes forage along the beach and lagoon edges.

Hippos

Present in the lagoons and rivers all year. Sightings in the surf are much rarer.

Western lowland gorillas

One group has been habituated for research and visitors. Others live unhabituated in the forest.

Chimpanzees

Studied by researchers at Loango, where one community has been observed applying insects to wounds. Chimpanzee tracking is not a standard visitor activity.

Crocodiles and antelope

Slender-snouted crocodiles use the waterways, while sitatunga and several duiker species keep to wetter or denser cover.

Leopards

Present in the park, but rarely seen.

Humpback whales

Offshore from about mid-July to mid-September.

Sea turtles

Marine turtles, including leatherbacks, nest on Gabon's beaches, mainly in the short dry season.

Boat on a river through green mangrove forest

What to expect

Loango is not an open-plains game drive. Forest animals are shy, visibility is limited and a day can pass quietly before a remarkable encounter. Boat trips, 4x4 tracks and guided walks each reveal different parts of the park, so a stay of several nights gives you a far better chance.

Never approach wildlife on foot without a guide. Forest elephants and buffalo can be dangerous, and hippos are dangerous on land and in the water.