A non-government organisation is warning that planned exploration activities in the Democratic Republic of Congo’s Cuvette basin pose a threat to the Salonga World Heritage Site, one of the last strongholds of the endangered bonobo ape.

According to watchdog Global Witness (GW), Comico, a company owned via UK-registered entities, secured approval to explore in Salonga National Park in February this year when it was awarded the Cuvette Central production sharing agreement.