The vegetation above 2,600m (8,500ft) is subalpine with foremost African redwood (Hagenia abyssinica) growing up to 3,000m (9,800ft). The park is also home to a diverse array of fauna and flora, including over 200 mammal species and a third of the worlds remaining mountain gorillas. ceo@africageographic.com, Travel & conservation company, since 1991,

, The oldest national park in Africa, Virunga National Park covers nearly 8,000km. Together with Queen Elizabeth National Park, Virunga is considered by the IUCN to be a Lion Conservation Unit. Two major African rivers, the Nile and the. Of these, nine gorilla families have been carefully habituated over the last thirty years. Only 629 hippos remain in the Park, a 98% decrease from the 30,000 of the 1960s and 1970s. The Parks governance structure is strengthened, and newly appointed staff negotiate access to the gorilla sector despite it being controlled by rebels. Tourism remains a cornerstone of the parks conservation efforts, and to that end, all of the lodges within the park are non-profit, with all proceeds fed back into keeping the park protected. There is something about the familiarity of their facial expressions, their familial bonds and the calm, contained power that makes gorilla trekking unlike any conventional animal encounter. The inhabitants inside the national park, whether native or refugees, rely on farming, hunting, fishing, logging and producing charcoal for their livelihoods, all prohibited activities. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. Average temperatures in lower altitudes vary from 2328C (7382F), and in higher altitudes from 1624C (6175F), rarely dropping below 14C (57F). Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The six volcanoes of the centre and east are extinct. The Virunga Mountains, located in the northwest part of Rwanda, contain the country's highest peak, Karisimbi, which reaches nearly 15,000 feet. To comment on this story: Download our app here - it's a troll-free safe place . Government officials supported exploration activities by Soco International mission members, whereas park management opposed. Mount Nyiragongo in Virunga National Park is one . The Parks visitor accommodation at Mikeno Lodge welcomes new guests seeking to visit Virunga. and wallow in the various rivers, and bongo antelope have been spotted in the parks northern reaches. It is an extraordinary park steeped in a history of tragedy and heroism: primordial and viscerally wild. They are situated in the same region at the borders of the three countries. The Virunga Mountains cover three countries of Africa that includes the south Western part of Uganda which covers the Mgahinga National park, the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo covering the Virunga National park and the North Western part of Rwanda which covers the Volcanoes National park. Most visitors opt to rotate through the different options. Andre Bauma is the manager of the Senkwekwe Center and heads up the team of dedicated carers responsible for looking after the Center's orphaned mountain gorillas. Flora/Vegatation in Virunga national park; Virunga's strategic location at the frontier between various biogeographic zones offers it an upper hand to protect both tropical rainforest and eastern steppe species and its range of altitudes adds to the habitat variety.The diversity in flora includes: bamboo and Hagenia forest on the mountains; equatorial forest along the Semiliki; wooded . Fortunately, stalwart sightseers can rest assured that the volcanos moods are carefully monitored lest it decides to let loose its fury of molten lava. The Mountain Gorillas of Virunga National Park. The mountain gorilla is taken off the IUCN critically endangered species list, marking a victory for Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan National Parks. Virunga Mountains, Virunga also spelled Birunga, also called Mufumbiro Mountains, volcanic range north of Lake Kivu in east-central Africa, extending about 50 miles (80 km) along the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. La Fondation Virunga Belgique was incorporated in 2015 to support Virunga National Park through fundraising and public outreach. Virunga staff are caught in the fighting, but maintain their presence and eventually negotiate Park access to protect the mountain gorillas. [2] It covers an area of 8,090km2 (3,120sqmi). It is an extraordinary park steeped in a history of tragedy and heroism: primordial and viscerally wild. Virunga National Park is placed on the list of endangered World Heritage sites. It is also a vital elephant habitat, as evidenced by the unexpected migration of, nearly 600 elephants from neighbouring Queen Elizabeth. The lake lies over 3000 feet (916 meters) above sea level and covers a surface area of 224,083 hectares, making it the 15th largest lake in Africa. In direct response to the massacres, the Senkwekwe Centre is established to care for the orphans of the massacre. Mount Nyiragongo is 3,470 meters, Mount Nyamuragira is 3,058 meters and Mount Mikeno is 4,437 meters. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. Ultra-luxury is not the order of the day in Virunga, but there are high-end accommodation options, and all the camps are comfortable. The range runs east-west, perpendicular to the rift valley in which lie Lakes Kivu and Edward. Non-endemic birds recorded include Wahlberg's eagle, African goshawk, African hobby, harrier hawk, common buzzard, mountain buzzard, hadeda ibis, grey-crowned crane, black-and-white-casqued hornbill, black-billed turaco, African olive pigeon, tambourine dove, blue-spotted wood dove, red-eyed dove, brown-necked parrot, red-chested cuckoo, olive long-tailed cuckoo, barred long-tailed cuckoo, Klaas's cuckoo, Diederik cuckoo, blue-headed coucal, Narina trogon, white-headed wood hoopoe, white-necked raven, white-tailed crested flycatcher, African paradise flycatcher, white-eyed slaty flycatcher, African dusky flycatcher, white-tailed blue flycatcher, mountain oriole, speckled mousebird, cinnamon-chested bee-eater, grey-throated barbet, yellow-billed barbet, western tinkerbird, yellow-rumped tinkerbird, cardinal woodpecker, olive woodpecker, black saw-wing, Angola swallow, Alpine swift, mountain greenbul, yellow-whiskered greenbul, common bulbul, white-starred robin, Archer's ground robin, white-browed robin-chat, African stonechat, rufous thrush, African thrush, olive thrush, grassland pipit, cinnamon bracken warbler, black-faced rufous warbler, mountain yellow warbler, brown woodland warbler, green sandpiper, Chubb's cisticola, banded prinia, chestnut-throated apalis, grey-backed camaroptera, white-browed crombec, black-throated wattle-eye, chinspot batis, mountain illadopsis, grey-chested illadopsis, olive sunbird, bronze sunbird, malachite sunbird, collared sunbird, variable sunbird, yellow white-eye, Mackinnon's shrike, Doherty's bushshrike, Lhder's bushshrike, northern puffback, mountain sooty boubou, tropical boubou, narrow-tailed starling, Sharpe's starling, baglafecht weaver, black bishop, grey-headed nigrita, common waxbill, black-headed waxbill, bronze mannikin, black and white mannikin, pin-tailed whydah, African citril, streaky seedeater and thick-billed seedeater.[57]. It conserves a diversity of habitats that surpasses any other park on the continent and is tucked along the eastern boundary of the Democratic Republic of Congo, protecting the eastward extremity of the Congo Basin. The park is periodically closed when they feel that the situation on the ground is such that security cannot be guaranteed. Their ambitious peace-building program aims to create 100,000 jobs, providing young Congolese with viable alternatives to conflict-related activities. The connection between man and gorilla can be further explored at the Senkwekwe Centre, the only mountain gorilla orphanage in the world. Virunga Mountain ranges consists of Unique and finest wildlife attractions of Africa which ranges from the; north Western Rwanda covering Volcanoes National park, Eastern side is Congo covering a fraction of Virunga National Park, and South Western Uganda covering Mgahinga National park. / 2.000S 30.000E / -2.000; 30.000. This picturesque part of the park adjoins the Rwenzori Mountains and Semuliki National Parks in neighbouring Uganda. Regional conflict spills over and an estimated 5.6 million Congolese die from the fighting. Learn more about the history of Virunga National Park by exploring the timeline below. Virungas most prominent mammals include forest and savanna elephants, hippos, okapis, lions and mountain gorillas. Visitors who brave the climb to the summit of Mt. In 1861 the British explorer John Hanning Speke saw the Virunga Mountains from a distance; in 1876 the British explorer Sir Henry Morton Stanley obtained a clear though distant view of the three eastern volcanoes; and Count Adolf von Gtzen, a German, explored the two western volcanoes in 1894. Alongside this essential conservation work, the Park is committed to supporting local communities. Hippopotamuses, rare mountain gorillas, okapis, antelope, warthogs, and pelicans all live in Virunga as well. Nyiragongo has erupted over thirty times since the end of the 19. century. Photo credit: Greg Homel/Natural Encounters Birding, Photo credit: Brad Clement/Spindrift Adventures, Virungas Rangers are awarded National Geographic Explorer of the Year, The mountain gorilla population is no longer critically endangered, All militia groups removed from Central Sector. The park is home to abundant wildlife, including elephants, whose numbers began decreasing in the late 20th century, and lions, which also face various threats. Learn more about the Okapi Conservation Project, a project working to protect these unique mammals in the DRC, as well as the forests and creatures of Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Virunga is the continents most biologically diverse protected area and a national park embarking on an ambitious development programme known as the Virunga Alliance. The Virunga Mountains that mark the southern sector of the park consist of eight major volcanoes, most of which are dormant. Mountain gorillas (, ) are a subspecies of the critically endangered eastern gorilla, and there are believed to be just over 1,000 remaining. The crater of Muhavura contains a small lake. The southern sector borders Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park. The grey crowned crane can be found in the wetlands, open grasslands, savannas, and cultivated areas and tropical lowland forests near the Ishasha River and Rwindi River. 2003). [24], In the late 1950s, Tutsi herders and their cattle entered the park, destroying natural habitat up to an altitude of 3,000m (9,800ft), which was thought to threaten the park's gorillas. They are solitary creatures who remain isolated except when threatened or breeding. African fish eagles are birds of prey that live in the waterways of sub-Saharan Africa. [55] The area is considered a potential lion (Panthera leo) stronghold, if poaching is curbed and prey species recover. Massive pods of hippo lurk around the shallows of Lake Edward and wallow in the various rivers, and bongo antelope have been spotted in the parks northern reaches. [61][62] Ndakasi, a gorilla from the park, was featured in a few television series and movies, including the Netflix documentary.[63]. Safaris, discussions & donations that make a real difference in Africa. The latter organisation is responsible for park management since 2010; about 80% of management costs are subsidised by the EC. The central sector is based around Lake Edward, the Ishasha river valley and the Rwindi plains. Two active volcanoes are located in the park, Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira. Virunga is part of the Albertine Rift (the western branch of the East African Rift) and stretches from the snow-covered peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains in the north to the Virunga Massif in the south. Virunga is part of the Albertine Rift (the western branch of the East African Rift) and stretches from the snow-covered peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains in the north to the Virunga Massif in the south. The Virunga Mountains are all volcanic mountains but most of them are dormant. The plains of Virunga National Park are dominated by wetlands and grasslands with papyrus sedge (Cyperus papyrus), jointed flatsedge (C. articulatus), common reed (Phragmites mauritanica), sacaton grasses (Sporobolus consimilis), ambatch (Aeschynomene elaphroxylon), conkerberry (Carissa spinarum), paperbark thorn (Vachellia sieberiana) and kowai fruit (Coccinia grandis). The name Virunga comes from the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means volcanoes. Elevations, climates, and habitats vary notably in Virunga National Park. Though the full history of the park (and the DRC) is beyond the scope of this celebration of Virunga, no coverage would be complete without mention of both the challenges and efforts involved in keeping it safe. Virunga National Park is a national park in the Albertine Rift Valley in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.It was created in 1925. The mountain range consists of eight major volcanoes. In contrast to the relatively sedate gorilla trekking, chimp habituation more often than not involves an adrenaline-filled race through the forest to keep up with our arboreal relatives. The two active volcanoes in the range Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamuragira are in Virunga National Park, and both reach heights of over 3,000 metres. These, in turn, keep the lions of the park suitably satiated. (UK) +44 (23) 9387-7464 There is a place in the heart of Africa where glacier-tipped mountains tumble down into steamy rain forests, where fiery lava lakes bubble, and savannas and grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see. As is inevitable, this tableau of human suffering has spilt over into the conservation of the countrys natural resources, and Virunga has found itself in the middle of countless conflicts. This sight is at its most impressive at night, so most opt to camp on the rim of the crater. The presence of these volcanoes has shaped the landscape of the park over the years . Following international protests, the company stopped exploring activities and consented to refrain from starting similar operations in the vicinity of World Heritage sites. Up to 40,000 people entered the park daily in search of firewood and food, and deforested huge areas. Habituation is a critical component of gorilla conservation, as it allows for detailed research to be undertaken on the species. Shoebills prefer to hunt in poorly oxygenated and shallow waters where fish are closer to the surface, using their razor sharp beaks to catch their prey. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [15], Virunga National Park's faunal species include 196 mammals, 706 bird species, 109 reptiles and 65 amphibians as of 2012. The parks southern tip rests on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, a short distance from the town of Goma to the east. Created in 1925, it has an area of some 3,050 square miles (7,900 square km) and contains a vast diversity of habitats. The Virunga Mountain in Rwanda, Congo and Uganda The Virunga volcanoes /mountains also locally known as Mufumbiro are located in three countries Uganda, Rwanda and DRCongo. The central sector is centred around the banks of Lake Edward. Remains of dicots such as African caper (Capparis tomentosa), Maerua species, wild cucurbits, and nightshades were found in dung balls of African elephants (Loxodonta) that play a significant role for seed dispersal in the grasslands. Farther north are the Rutshuru Falls and the Mai ya Moto sulfur springs. Most visitors access the park via Rwanda and pass through the border at Goma. They have significantly shaped the national park's diverse habitats and wildlife. Situated in a region which has been deeply impacted by the effects of war and armed conflict for over 20 years, Virunga is currently protected by a dedicated team of 689 Rangers. This articles lists and explains more about the . As is inevitable, this tableau of human suffering has spilt over into the conservation of the countrys natural resources, and Virunga has found itself in the middle of countless conflicts. [5], Primates present in the national park include mountain gorilla (G. b. beringei), common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), golden monkey, red-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus ascanius), Dent's mona monkey (C. denti), blue monkey (C. mitis), Hamlyn's monkey (C. hamlyni), De Brazza's monkey (C. neglectus), Central African red colobus (Procolobus foai), mantled guereza (Colobus guereza), olive baboon (Papio anubis) and grey-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena). Okapis are endangered, and there are probably only a few thousand remaining. Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (once critically endangered) mountain gorillas. Communities around Lake Edward are fearful of the impact of potential oil activity on their livelihoods. All travel bookings booked via Trust my Travel are financially protected by them. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. At 26,338 square kilometres (10,169 sq mi), Rwanda is the world's 149th-largest country. The Viringa Mountains are composed of up to 8 Volcanic summits including two active volcanoes of Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira located in DRC in Virunga National Park. Of these, nine gorilla families have been carefully habituated over the last thirty years. Established 1991, BEST SAFARI PRICES Much of the parks central region is occupied by Lake Edward. [45], The climate in the Albertine Rift is influenced by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the El NioSouthern Oscillation. chat to the Africa Geographic travel team, Photographer of the Year 2023 Weekly Selection: Week 11. Even the air is redolent with the scent of rich soil, and intrepid visitors find themselves besieged by butterflies and ebrious with delight at the natural life on show. Naturally, the park authorities are aware of this, and they take the safety of their guests extremely seriously. On several occasions a lava stream reached the shores of Lake Kivu. Satellite images showed hotspots at Nyamuragira volcano in early 2017, indicating ongoing eruptions. As might be expected in a park that encompasses such a large variety of habitats, the birding can be described as extraordinary. [19], In 1934, the Institut des Parcs Nationaux du Congo Belge was founded as the governing body for national parks in the Belgian Congo. Virunga Mountains, Virunga also spelled Birunga, also called Mufumbiro Mountains, volcanic range north of Lake Kivu in east-central Africa, extending about 50 miles (80 km) along the borders of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda. For decades, the people of the DRC have struggled through war and instability that has killed millions of people. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Grease Interceptor Installation Detail, Articles W

About the author