A coastal Gabonese wildlife reserve on the Atlantic, long reserved for heads of state and now opening to the public.
Réserve de Wonga Wongué
Réserve de Wonga Wongué is a large protected natural area in western Gabon, lying along the Atlantic coast across the Estuaire and Ogooué-Maritime provinces, with the city of Port-Gentil nearby. Originally established as a fauna reserve and later converted into a national park, it was reclassified in 1972 as a presidential hunting reserve reserved for the head of state of Gabon and their guests, a status it has held for more than five decades.
The reserve covers an extensive coastal and hinterland zone of lowland terrain, where plains, hills, and dissected plateaus are crossed by numerous small coastal rivers and interspersed with swamps and marshes. Its biodiversity combines forest wildlife such as chimpanzees, gorillas, elephants, and buffalo with coastal and wetland species, including hippopotamus and seabirds like the white pelican. Despite its protected status, the area has faced poaching pressure and illegal exploitation of timber, fish, and bushmeat.
Recognised internationally as a Ramsar Wetland of International Importance, Wonga Wongué has recently moved toward a new phase. In 2024, Gabon's transitional authorities announced the opening of the reserve to the general public, positioning it as a future hub for ecotourism, biological research, and conservation partnerships in the country.
