For two days, from 16 to 17 February 2026, public experts, sanctuary managers, and technical partners gathered in Kinshasa to initiate the development of a national framework for the seizure, confiscation, and ex-situ conservation of wild animals in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
The workshop, held at the Africana Palace Hotel under the coordination of the Congolese Institute for Nature Conservation (ICCN), laid the groundwork for an operational mechanism long awaited in the fight against wildlife crime. The DRC is among the richest countries in the world in terms of biodiversity, with forest ecosystems home to numerous endemic and protected species. However, this wealth remains severely threatened by poaching, bushmeat consumption, and the illegal trade of wild animals, driven by increasing international demand. In response to this pressure, ex-situ conservation has gradually emerged as a complementary tool to protected areas. It allows for the health rehabilitation of confiscated animals, their temporary or permanent protection, and the strengthening of environmental awareness among local communities.
Several specialized sanctuaries already carry out this mission, each according to the species under their care: the Lwiro Primate Rehabilitation Center (CRPL) and the Confiscated Young Animals Sanctuary in Katanga (JACK) for primates, Lola ya Bonobo (currently ABC) for bonobos, Grace Sanctuary for eastern lowland gorillas (Grauer’s gorillas), while the Senkwekwe Sanctuary in Rumangabo is dedicated to mountain gorillas. In addition, the P3CK Parrot Rehabilitation Sanctuary and the P-WAC Sanctuary are involved in caring for other wild species affected by trafficking.
The workshop was opened and closed by the ICCN Director-General, Mr. Yves Milan Ngangay, who emphasized the importance of harmonizing field actions to ensure the protection of animals seized outside protected areas, and recognized the efforts of sanctuary managers while urging them to comply with Congolese nature conservation legislation. With support from the Panafrican Sanctuary Alliance (PASA), Dr. Kizito Musubao Kakule highlighted the sector’s commitment to developing coordinated actions to sustain sanctuary missions and strengthen collaboration among partners.
The sessions combined presentations on existing experiences, group work, and plenary debates, producing concrete recommendations for establishing harmonized management tools in the sanctuary sector. These discussions confirmed structural challenges, notably the absence of a formalized permanent coordination framework, communication difficulties, the lack of a harmonized national protocol and a centralized database, as well as irregular technical and health reporting.
Contrary to initial expectations, the national protocol for seizure, confiscation, and ex-situ conservation has not yet been validated, but it is under development based on technical contributions from the workshops. Among the main consensuses reached was the establishment of a national technical coordination body dedicated to ex-situ conservation and sanctuary management, composed of ICCN agents and representatives from relevant sectoral ministries. This body will ensure a permanent interface between public authorities and partner structures, monitor the implementation of technical guidelines, and prevent communication crises.
Participants also agreed on the need to clarify the roles and responsibilities of each actor involved in the seizure, transport, placement, and monitoring of confiscated animals, as well as to establish mechanisms for regular control and inspection of sanctuaries. Beyond these documents, the two days restored structured technical dialogue between the State and field actors, paving the way for more coherent and better-coordinated ex-situ conservation at a time when wildlife trafficking continues to heavily impact Congolese biodiversity.
By Kilalopress