Garamba National Park
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INTRODUCTION
The national park of Garamba* is located as a democratic republic of Congo in Africa. This park was created in 1938 and is one of oldest African continent. The site belongs to the list of the world heritage of UNESCO* since 1980.
The national park of Garamba is the last African park where a population of north white rhinoceros* (ceratotherium simum cottoni) resides. Because of the intensive poaching whose made to the object this rhinoceros, the park is classified on the list of the Sites of the world heritage in danger since 1996.
Three other large mammals also populate the reserve such as the elephant, the giraffe of north (Giraffa camelopardalis congoensis) and the hippopotamus. The landscapes of the park understand the immense savannas, grassy or wooded, intersected with gallery-forests along the marshy rivers and depressions.
HISTORY
This park was created in 1938 and is one of oldest African continent. In 1980, he is added on the list of the sites of the world heritage in danger. Thereafter the IUCN* estimates that less than 15 specimens of white rhinoceros* still reside in the park. World Wildlife Fund*, Frankfurt Zoological*, the IUCN* and UNESCO* unite their efforts with the government zïrois of the time in order to rehabilitate the park. These efforts bear their fruits and the park is withdrawn from the list in danger in 1992.
However in 1991, a close city is captured the groups armed with Sudanese People' S Liberation Army (SPLA) and the refugees started to migrate in the zones surrounding the park. It were more than 50 000 in 1993. The surge of refugees posed problem, because several among them, members or former members of the APLS, brought automatic weapons and equipment soldiers which they used to kill the animal residents in the park. of Garamba. The guards were not able to ensure the protection of the park vis-a-vis the poachers heavily armed and well trained.
From 1993 to 1995, 121 animals are cut down involving the return of the park of Garamba on the list of the sites of the world heritage in danger in the same year. In addition, recent investigations make fear that the north white rhinoceros* is now completely disappeared in a wild state (IUCN* SSC African Rhino Specialist Group, 2008).
Since October 2005, the Congolese Institute for the nature conservation transferred management from the park to African Parks Conservation*.
FLORA OF THE PARK
The geographical position of the national park of Garamba makes the vegetation of the site extremely interesting. The park covers three biomes différents : Forests massive with marshy grounds, a watery space as well as savannas active of dense wooded savanna to the savanna strewn with meadows as far as the eye can see.
Wooded savannas are often dominated by Combretum spp. and Terminalia weakened, accompanying the dominant species such as Hymenocardia acida, Bauhinia thonningii, Dombeya quinqueseta, Acacia, Grewia and Bridelia spp., Albizzia glaberrima and Erythrina abyssinica. The wooded forests and small islands contain of Erythrophleum suaveolens, Chlorophora excelsa, Irvingia smithii, Khaya anthotheca, K. grandifoliola, Klainedoxa sp., Ficus spp. and Spathodea campanulata.
The principal grass species of savanna are Loudetia arundinacea and various Hyparrhenia species which, in September can grow of more than 2 m in height, with the tall grass Urelytrum giganteum up to 5 Mr.
There exists approximately 1 000 species of vascular plants, of which some 5% are endemic.
FAUNA OF THE PARK
The national park of Garamba is probably the last park in Africa having a population of white rhinoceros* of north (until proof of the opposite with regard to its extinction in a wild state). The number of these rhinoceroses catastrophiquement fell, while passing from approximately 1 000 animals in 1960 to 490 in 1976, then with approximately 13 specimens in 1984 and finally with 15 individuals in 1984.
Other animals also make the pride of this park. One can quote for example the elephant (Loxodonta africana), the giraffe of north (Giraffa camelopardalis congoensis), the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), the buffalo (Syncerus caffer), the Alcelaphus (Alcelaphus sp), the Kob (Kobus Kobe), the Waterbuck (Kobus illipsiprymnus), the chimpanzee (Side troglodytes), the baboon (Papio anubis), the Angola Colobus (Colobus angolensis), the guenons (Cercopithecus aethiops), the Roan Antelope (Hippotragus equinus), the sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekeii), the Reedbuck (Redunca redunca), the bushbuck (Tragelaphus sylvicultor), the Warthog (Phacochoerus porcus), the lion* (Panthera leo*), the leopard (Panthera pardus), the bongo (Boocerus enryceros), the Bushpig (Potamochoerus larvatus), the Giant Forest Hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni).
EXTERNAL LINKS
http://www.africanparks-conservation.com
