Kahuzi Biega National Park, whose name derives from the Kahuzi (3,308m) and Biega (2,790m) extinct volcanic mountains, is located in the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo in Kivu province. It spreads from the Congo River basin near Itebero-Utu to the occidental boundary in the north-west of Bukavu.

Concerned with protection of the eastern lowland gorillas (Gorilla beringei graueri), Belgian colonial leaders created a 75,000 ha zoological reserve in 1937, prohibiting resource exploitation, except for scientific research. At the urging of a group of students from Kivu province, Kahuzi Biega National Park was established by presidential law in 1970, reducing the limits of the old reserve to 60, 000 ha. These limit variations created confusion which exists even today in the old south sector of the park.

At the suggestion of the first warden, the late Mr. Adrien Deschryver, the park was enlarged to 600,000 ha in 1975 to link the high altitude area to a new lowland area. By this extension, the park is composed of two regions (the high and the low altitude) linked by a narrow ecological corridor.

Unlike with creation of the original park, neither local populations nor local chiefs were involved in the park extension. This lead to persistent tensions between the park and local populations.

Kahuzi Biega National Park was recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 1980. The park's biological richness is immense. It contains intense forest diversity with many endemic species. The park was established to protect 200-300 eastern lowland gorilla (Gorilla gorilla graueri) occurring mainly in the forests at 2,100m-2,400m, but also in the lower rain forest. Other primates include eastern chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes schweinfurthi), and numerous Cercopithecinae and Colobinae, including black and white colobus monkey (Colobus guereza) and red colobus (C. badius).

Other mammals include elephant (Loxodonta africana), forest hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni )and many antelope and duiker. Avifauna include the endemic Rockefeller's sunbird (Nectarinia rockefelleri), Grauer's broadbill (Pseudocalyptomena graueri), Grauer's warbler (Bradypterus graueri) and Shelley's crimsonwing (Cryptospiza shelleyi). Endemic mammal species include Giant gennet (Genetta victoriae), Aquatic civet (Osbornictis piscivora), Maclaud's horseshoebat (Rhinolophus maclaudi), Ruwenzori least otter shrew (Micropotamogale ruwenzorii), Owl-faced monkey (Cercopithecus hamlyni), Eastern needle-clawed galago (Galago inustus), Thomas' tree squirrel (Funisciurus anerythrus) and Alexander's bush squirrel (Paraxerus alexandri). Species lists are given in Steinhauer-Burkart (1995), and Wilson and Catsis (1990).

Since 1985, the park has received support from the German Technical Cooperation (GTZ) and other scientific and conservation institutions and NGOs, including Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), World Wildlife Fund, Berggorilla, UNESCO, Born Free Foundation (BFF), Kyoto University, and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

In 1997, UNESCO inscribed Kahuzi Biega National Park on the list of World Heritage Sites in Danger. The causes of destruction in Kahuzi Biega National Park are many and implicate actors on different levels.

The government has been ineffectual at ensuring protection of the natural resources. Tracking and poaching continue unchecked.

The unstable political and military situation in DR Congo has caused increased destruction of the park and increased difficulties in conservation. The massive flood of Rwandan refugees in 1994 remains a major problem today. The local population has illegal guns used for hunting in the park. Many animals have been killed for food and trophies, including seven silverback leaders of the ecotourism gorilla groups and many trees have been cut down for diverse ends.

Overcrowding in the area of Kahuzi Biega National Park is a serious problem for its natural resources. Six different tribes inhabit the park surroundings, Bashi, Batembo, Bakano, Banyanga, and Batwa (Pygmy). Apart from the Bashi tribe who breed cows, goats and sheep; the five remaining tribes are foresters - they live by hunting wildlife and harvesting fruit, wild vegetables, mushrooms and honey. The average number of children in each family is six.

Since the war disturbances in DR Congo in October 1996, several families have been displaced from the lowland vicinity of Kahuzi Biega and are concentrated in a small portion of the eastern highland for shelter. These people and others live in daily fear of looting, rape, gunshots etc by armed factions scattered throughout the region.

Today, 500 persons per sq kilometre inhabit the boundaries of the park's main headquarters.
Most of this population is illiterate and ignorant of the importance of natural resource conservation. They survive in seriously low socio-economic conditions by making incursions into the park for illegal activities, such as cutting down trees and bamboo, and trapping animals for meat. They mine precious ores, such as gold, coltan, cassiterite etc. There are also instances of agriculture and farming in the park