18:00 16 May 2014
Virunga National Park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo is threatened by oil prospectors. Here are some of the unique wonders within its borders. Andy Coghlan
Read more: "Pressure mounts to save Africa's Eden from drillers"
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Hippo heartland
Virunga National Park is a key habitat for the common hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius).
In the 1960s, there were around 30,000 hippos living around Lake Edward in the centre of the park, where London-based oil company SOCO is prospecting. Now, numbers in that region have tumbled to just 6000.
However, there are thought to be around 20,000 left in the entire park. That makes the area the largest concentration of hippos in Africa.
(Image: Rex/Gerard Lacz)
