Congo peafowl  (Afropavo congensis)

Hunting and habitat loss, exacerbated by the demands of war and refugees, are rampant in Congo, and seriously threaten the survival of this endemic bird. Habitat is being destroyed by mining, subsistence agriculture and logging operations at several locations (6). Some reserves exist, but miner settlements are encroaching here and elsewhere, opening up remote areas to increased subsistence and commercial hunting (6) (7). Although the snares set may be intended for small mammals and antelope, Congo peafowl are thought to be a frequent victim. Guerrilla fighters and huge numbers of Rwandan refugees have occupied the eastern DRC since 1994, increasing the already mounting pressures of hunting and habitat loss (6).

There are around 150 Congo peafowl kept in captivity worldwide, and an international studbook is maintained to ensure that the captive population stays genetically diverse and healthy by coordinating selective breeding between individuals at different zoos. This captive population not only ensures the species’ survival should it go extinct in the wild, but also enables important research to take place into the bird’s ecological needs, which may help guide appropriate conservation measures to protect it in the wild (3).

With habitat loss and hunting continuing unabated, it seems that the conservation of this species in the wild may depend on populations in protected areas, where there is some possibility that hunting can be limited or banned. Important populations currently exist in the Maiko and probably also Salonga National Parks, and the species can also be found in the Okapi Wildlife Reserve and the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. In order to safeguard this bird’s future, however, protection of these nature reserves and national parks will need to be improved, and education campaigns to reduce bushmeat hunting and promote alternative livelihoods will be critical (6). The success of such conservation measures, however, is likely to depend upon the political situation of the country, which currently remains highly unstable (7). As such, Africa’s only native pheasant faces an uncertain future.