The large-scale expedition did not go completely according to plan. Originally, the scientists were supposed to board three large boats in Kisangani in the northern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and sail down the river to the capital of Kinshasa, making numerous stops on the way to collect scientific material. Unfortunately, unrest broke out in the Mbandaka region, and the plan had to change.

The expedition was shortened to just four stops: Yaekela by the Congo River, Lieki at the mouth of the Lomami River, Bomane by the Aruwimi River and Kona by the Itimbiri River.

The former Belgian colony of Congo, now the Democratic Republic of the Congo, is the third-largest country in Africa, but one of the least known when it comes to ecology. The country’s long history of political strife has caused energies to be focused elsewhere, and maps of some parts of the country are more than 50 years old.

But 2010 represented a chance to learn more about the country’s flora and fauna; not only was it the United Nations’ international year of biodiversity, but it was also the Congo’s 50th year as an independent country. So, an extensive scientific expedition into the Congo was undertaken by the Royal Museum of Central Africa, the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, the National Botanical Garden of Belgium and the University of Kisangani in the Congo.

Sixty-seven scientists from all over the world, accompanied by a small group of journalists, set out to collect animals and plants, study local languages and geography, develop new maps, and search for remnants of ancient people and their cultures. It was one of the most extensive scientific expeditions in 50 years, and it faced obstacles almost from its genesis. Originally, the Congo River was intended to be the main “road” for the scientists, from Kisangani to Kinshasa. But unrest in the Mbandaka region meant that it was too hazardous to sail the latter part of the trip, so scientists concentrated on the region around the central part of the Congo River and some of its tributaries. But even with these limitations, the work had to be carried out in the presence of heavily armed guards aboard the expedition boats.

“Lawlessness reigns, including river pirates,” says Danish herpetologist Jos Kielgast, who took part in the expedition.

The expedition was tasked with covering numerous scientific disciplines. For example, linguists were to study some of the more than 240 languages of the Congo. In order to get a standard for reference, scientists asked people to state the local names of the different animals. As the expedition was forced to travel much more slowly than originally intended because of the unrest, scientists quickly discovered that local knowledge was one of the best sources of information on plants and animals. Both children and adults brought animals that they had found in the jungle to expedition members — often animals that were new to the scientists. The reward for a dead animal equaled a day’s wages; a living animal garnered two days’ wages.

Work continues on the many finds of the expedition, and members anticipate years of study to follow. But it’s already clear that dozens of new species in almost all groups of animals have been discovered, and expedition members have brought home results that will provide science with a much better understanding of the ecology of the region — which will hopefully inspire the Congo’s own scientific research institutions.