This park, in southeastern Liberia near the town of Greenville, came into existence to protect some of West Africa's most significant tracts of rain forest. Although the park area was recently expanded by 50%, large swaths of nearby forest were cleared and sold as lumber to buy arms during the civil war, and park infrastructure was destroyed. Within the park itself, some sections of forest have been harvested and others have become temporary camps for miners and hunters.
In the tracts that remain, towering trees create a high canopy filled with flowering vines, monkeys and butterflies. The park also has giant forest hogs, pygmy hippos, chimpanzees, parrots, otters and other species.
Sapo is currently not open to tourists, although its headquarters are being reconstructed, and the situation is likely to improve fairly quickly after national elections. 150 mi/240 km southeast of Monrovia.
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