A hotspot within the Upper Guinean Forest, the Krahn-Bassa Proposed Protected Area is a shelter for the survival of vulnerable wildlife, including the Western Chimpanzee (CR), Pygmy Hippopotamus (EN) and Slender-snouted Crocodile (CR), and many signs indicate this area is also important for the African Forest Elephant (CR).

Hunting for the commercial bushmeat trade threatens these species, putting them in grave danger of local extinction. Forest Elephants are targeted for both ivory and bushmeat, Western Chimpanzee infants are frequently captured and illegally sold as pets, and pangolins are hunted for the cross-border trade of their scales to Guinea, Sierra Leone and the Ivory Coast.

Rainforest Trust and our partner, The Wild Chimpanzee Foundation, seek to create the 550,000-acre Krahn-Bassa National Park as a fully designated and sustainably managed national park.

Header photo: The Endangered Pygmy Hippo

Store Carbon and Protect Old-Growth Forests in Liberia

Approximately 90% of the Krahn-Bassa Proposed Protected Area consists of undisturbed, old-growth and primary forest. With the absence of legal protection for this area, increased habitat destruction and degradation from logging companies and gold mining interests in the surrounding area will lead to significant biodiversity loss and increased exploitation of wildlife.

We must urgently secure this habitat for resident chimpanzees, hippos and elephants as well as for other unique species like Jentink’s Duiker (EN), Western Red Colobus (EN), Giant Ground Pangolin (EN) and Liberian Mongoose (VU). Safeguarding these acres will lock up 120,510,366 mT CO₂ equivalents, comparable to the greenhouse gas emissions from 25,966,276 gasoline-powered passenger vehicles driven for one year.

Create a New National Park for Lasting Impact

Protecting the Krahn-Bassa Forest by creating a new National Park will safeguard its natural resources from encroachment, logging, mining, poaching and other illegal activities.

The Wild Chimpanzee Foundation is deeply committed to ensuring the full involvement of local community members in all stages of this process. Community representatives will be active members of the protected area management team by drafting and implementing plans. They will also participate in the protection of Krahn-Bassa as part of the community ecoguard program that monitors wildlife and human activities and helps prevent illegal exploitation.