Biodiversity of the Albertine Rift is driven chiefly by climate and topography of the Albertine Rift Mountains ecoregion, an area of exceptional faunal and moderate floral endemism. These mountains also support the Mountain gorilla (Gorilla gorilla beringei), which is one of the most charismatic flagship species in Africa, and an effective target for much of the current conservation investment in the area. The mountain chain comprising the Albertine Rift straddles the borders of five different nations, and this makes effective ecoregional conservation a challenge in the area. Although there are a number of National Parks and Forest Reserves in the area, the recent wars have made their management difficult over much of the ecoregion. Additional threats include conversion of most forest areas outside reserves into farmland, together with logging, firewood collection, and bushmeat hunting within the remaining forest areas.

Breakdown by principal biotic groups

Based on what is known at present there are, in the Albertine Rift:

Source: Wildlife Conservation Society

See also

• Albertine Rift Collection