The Ibenga River ( or Libenga River) is a river of the
Republic of the Congo
The Republic of the Congo, also known as Congo-Brazzaville, the Congo Republic or simply the Congo (the last ambiguously also referring to the neighbouring Democratic Republic of the Congo), is a country located on the western coast of Central ...
, a right tributary of the
Ubangi River
The Ubangi River (; ; ; ), also spelled Oubangui, is a river in Central Africa, and the largest right-bank tributary of the Congo River. It begins at the confluence of the Mbomou River, Mbomou (mean annual discharge 1,350 m3/s) and Uele Rivers (mea ...
.
Location
The river rises to the northwest of Enyelle.
It flows past that town, then meanders in a generally SSE direction to the Ubangi.
The river is long.
It is important as a local transportation route.
The main economic activities along the river are fishing and production of palm wine.
History
The first European to explore the river was
Alphonse van Gèle
Alphonse van Gèle, also written van Gele or Vangele (25 April 1848 – 23 February 1939), was a Belgians, Belgian soldier who served as the List of colonial governors of the Congo Free State and Belgian Congo, Vice-Governor General of the Congo F ...
, in November–December 1886.
Ramsar site
The Libenga
Ramsar site
A Ramsar site is a wetland site designated to be of international importance under the Ramsar Convention,8 ha (O)
*** Permanent 8 ha (P)
*** Seasonal Intermittent < 8 ha(Ts)
**
hippopotamus
The hippopotamus (''Hippopotamus amphibius;'' ; : hippopotamuses), often shortened to hippo (: hippos), further qualified as the common hippopotamus, Nile hippopotamus and river hippopotamus, is a large semiaquatic mammal native to sub-Sahar ...
to escape threats they face on the Ubangi.
There are many endemic and migratory fish species.
The government began a program to limit invasive aquatic species in 1998.
Migratory
marabou stork
The marabou stork (''Leptoptilos crumenifer'') is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae native to sub-Saharan Africa. It breeds in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially landfill sites. It is sometim ...
and
pelican
Pelicans (genus ''Pelecanus'') are a genus of large water birds that make up the family Pelecanidae. They are characterized by a long beak and a large throat pouch used for catching prey and draining water from the scooped-up contents before ...
s use the prairies around the river, as do migratory buffaloes.