English: 3 March 2026 marks World Wildlife Day, which highlights wild animals and plants and underlines the important role of medicinal and aromatic plants in human health and ecological balance. The Greater Virunga Landscape, visible in this Copernicus Sentinel-2 image acquired on 30 July 2025, comprises a transboundary network of protected areas in Central and East Africa. It includes the Virunga National Park in eastern Democratic Republic of The Congo, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Queen Elizabeth National Park, and the Bwindi Impenetrable National Park in Uganda, as well as the Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda. Together, these sites form one of Africa’s most ecologically-rich regions, hosting around 2,000 species. Several of these species have been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years. The landscape spans diverse ecosystems, including forests, savannahs, wetlands, and volcanic areas, which collectively support high levels of biodiversity and provide important ecological services. Copernicus data support the monitoring of habitats and protected areas, enabling the long-term tracking of ecosystems, land-use change, and biodiversity conservation initiatives.