GENEVA (AP) — An agreement announced Wednesday between a London-based oil company and a wildlife protection group could prevent oil drilling in a national park in Africa where 200 endangered mountain gorillas live.

A joint statement by SOCO International PLC and Switzerland-based WWF said there will be no exploratory drilling in Congo’s Virunga National Park, which is Africa’s oldest, unless the government and the U.N. cultural agency UNESCO agree it would not threaten the park’s world heritage status.