is the branch of the Congolese government tasked with the protection and conservation of protected areas in the DRC. Virunga Mountains in Congo were formed as a result of volcanic activity from the past. Hippo numbers increase to over 2000 for the first time in 20 years. 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. Mikeno and Sabinio are the oldest of these, dating from the early part of the Pleistocene Epoch (the Pleistocene began about 2,600,000 years ago and lasted until about 11,700 years ago); their craters have disappeared, and erosion has imposed a jagged relief. Rwanda is located in East Africa, to the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at the co-ordinates 200S 300E . Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Nyamuragira volcano, situated around 15 miles (25 kilometers) north of Lake Kivu, has been described as one of Africas most active volcanoes. The Virunga Mountains in Volcanoes Park. Goma, the capital city of the province on the northern shores of Lake Kivu is 35 km (1-hour drive) away from Rumangabo, the park headquarters located in the southern sector of Kibumba. Mass killings of nearly 400 hippos are orchestrated by local militia who are suspected of eating and selling the meat and removing teeth for ivory. The Mountain Gorillas of Virunga National Park. Virunga National Park is located in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo, within the Albertine Rift Valley. [43], Virunga National Park is located in the Congo Nile watershed area. It is also a vital elephant habitat, as evidenced by the unexpected migration of nearly 600 elephants from neighbouring Queen Elizabeth at the end of 2020. The Virunga chained mountains, also known as the Virunga Massif, offer unique experiences to tourists in Africa. Want to go on a safari to Virunga? The okapi is the closest known relative to the giraffe and looks very much as though someone crossed a zebra, antelope, and giraffe. The park is a crucial habitat for giant and tree pangolin, crested porcupine and even Lord Derbys scaly-tailed squirrel (a rodent with a very similar design to flying squirrels). [7], After the Second Congo War was over, confrontations between park personnel and rebel groups continued; 80 park staff were killed between 1996 and 2003. While the apes may be the stars, the supporting cast of around 19 smaller primate species is deserving of a special mention. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. Farther north are the Rutshuru Falls and the Mai ya Moto sulfur springs. Here dedicated keepers have raised the young survivors of anthropogenic cruelty (poaching and snaring), as well as rehabilitating eastern lowland gorillas. This picturesque part of the park adjoins the Rwenzori Mountains and Semuliki National Parks in neighbouring Uganda. Virunga is the only site on earth to have three types of great apes the mountain gorilla, eastern lowland gorilla, and eastern chimpanzee. The Virunga Mountains (also known as Mufumbiro [1]) are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, along the northern border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Uganda. Tourism facilities were developed and improved, and a trickle of intrepid visitors gradually turned into a steady stream of people looking to experience one of Africas most incredible destinations. Satellite images showed hotspots at Nyamuragira volcano in early 2017, indicating ongoing eruptions. Modern access to the western volcanoes is from Goma and Gisenyi (Rwanda); the remaining mountains are located within the circuit of roads connecting Goma and Rutshuru (Congo), Kisoro (Uganda), and Ruhengeri and Gisenyi (Rwanda). [26] Notable species include the prehistoric-looking shoebills, dashing Rwenzori turacos, mind-blowingly cryptic African green broadbills, and bizarre red-collared mountain babblers whose closest relative forages the slopes of Mt Jupe in Cameroon. Chimpanzees are an endangered species and one of the four species of great apes. The local community has developed negative feeling towards park personnel and the military. The increased human population contributed to deforestation and poaching, and some natural animal migration patterns have been seriously disrupted. The Foundation holds the management contract for the Park, which requires it to restore and manage the national park with ICCN. The region's glaciers, waterfalls and lakes make it one of Africa's most beautiful alpine areas. UNESCO designated the park a World Heritage site in 1979, and it was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1994, because of the growth of permanent settlements within the park and the influx of a great number of refugees fleeing war in neighbouring Rwanda. Surrounded by the mountains and home to Lake Edward, this large expanse of grassland and wooded savanna plays host to the Parks highest concentrations of elephants, buffalos and warthogs. They are located between Lake Edward and Lake Kivu. (For more on the conservation and social developments by the Virunga Alliance. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. African fish eagles are birds of prey that live in the waterways of sub-Saharan Africa. Located in East Africa, the Virunga Mountains are a series of volcanoes that extends along northern part of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Uganda. Eastern Congo is one of the most economically disadvantaged places on earth, and competition for the Parks rich natural resources has always been fierce. There are a couple of different lodges scattered throughout the park, and the choice of activity (gorilla treks, Lava treks up Nyiragongo, game drives and so on) will determine the best place to stay. The park also encompasses savannas, peat bogs, marshes, lava plains, eastern steppe vegetation, and various types of forests, including tropical rainforest and bamboo. Virunga is a UNESCO World Heritage Site due to its spectacular biodiversity, with over 2,000 plant species, 706 bird species, and nearly 200 reptile and amphibian species. Located on the border between Uganda and the Democratic Republic of Congo, the Rwenzoris, or Mountains of the Moon, are the third highest mountain chain in Africa. In 2008, the Congolese National Parks Authority, (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, ICCN), and the Virunga Foundation (then known as the Africa Conservation Foundation), entered into a partnership to manage the Park. Up to 40,000 people entered the park daily in search of firewood and food, and deforested huge areas. The name Virunga (Volcanoes), probably of Swahili derivation, has prevailed over the earlier Mufumbiro (That Which Cooks), which is still used in Uganda. These savannas and woodlands contain many different types of grasses and trees. Virunga staff are caught in the fighting, but maintain their presence and eventually negotiate Park access to protect the mountain gorillas. The habituation process is done by researchers and rangers who visit the gorillas on a daily basis for between two and three years until the gorillas are comfortable having people near them. [61][62] Ndakasi, a gorilla from the park, was featured in a few television series and movies, including the Netflix documentary.[63]. Ethnic groups living in and around Virunga National Park include: The documentary Virunga documents the work of Virunga National Park rangers and the activities of British oil company Soco International within the park. The Grauers gorillas consist of a handful of individuals isolated to the inaccessible Mount Tshiabirimu region of the park. The mountain gorillas have increased from fewer than 70 to over 300 in ten years and hippos from 300 to over 2,000, while elephant and lion sightings are now a fairly regular occurrence. 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. The Virunga Mountains also popularly known as the Virunga Volcanoes range are a chain of eight volcanoes created by violent eruptions in the Albertine Rift region. Most of them are dormant, except Mount Nyiragongo 3,462 metres (11,358ft) and Mount Nyamuragira 3,063 metres (10,049ft), both in the DRC. Situated in the center of the Albertine Rift, between Uganda and Rwanda, Virungas 7,800 square kilometers (3,000 square miles) stretches from the Virunga Massif in the south, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the north. Explore one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the world. The Virunga mountains are the most hike in DR Congo and they include Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira which are active volcanoes, and lastly Mount Mikeno which is a dormant volcano. Networking & debating APP subscribers only, TRUSTED CONSERVATION PROJECTS Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. In the national park's northern sector, African leopard (P. pardus pardus), marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus), giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea), tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata), Lord Derby's scaly-tailed squirrel (Anomalurus derbianus), Boehm's bush squirrel (Paraxerus boehmi), western tree hyrax (Dendrohyrax dorsalis), Emin's pouched rat (Cricetomys emini) and checkered elephant shrew (Rhynchocyon cirnei) were recorded during surveys in 2008. 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. The Parks 3,000 square miles (7,800 square kilometers) is comprised of four sectors northern, central, southern and lake sector each with an unrivaled diversity of landscapes and ecosystems. Mean monthly rainfall in the savanna around Lake Edward is 3040mm (1.21.6in); this is the driest part of the landscape. The great blue turaco is the largest member of the turaco family. [2] It covers an area of 8,090km2 (3,120sqmi). The name Virunga comes from the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means volcanoes. In April, in an effort to end the war, a peace agreement is signed by government and rebel forces. The slopes of Mount Mikeno play host to a number of Virungas critically endangered mountain gorilla families. A conflict between rebel and army forces results in the untimely death of the silverback of the Rugendo family. Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (, . Park protection efforts were militarised in the following years to deter armed rebel groups and poachers from operating inside the park. The gorilla massacres catalyzed a groundswell of efforts to protect Virunga. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. Focussing on three key areas: hydropower, sustainable agriculture and fisheries, and tourism, Virunga National Park is working to economically transform the region creating jobs and reducing poverty rates. The orphanage is named for a silverback killed in a devastating poaching incident in 2007 that claimed the lives of seven members of the Rugendo family. The Rwandan genocide causes nearly two million refugees to flee the country. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. The northern sector receives a monthly mean precipitation of up to 220mm (8.7in), and the southern sector of up to 160mm (6.3in). To the northeast the Ruwenzori Range soars to more than 16,000 feet (4,880 metres). The worlds entire population of critically endangered mountain gorillas live only in the Virunga Massif and Bwindi National Park, which spans parts of Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, and Rwanda. The mountain range consists of eight major volcanoes. Virunga National Park is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and receives an average of 6,500 visitors per year. (For more on the conservation and social developments by the Virunga Alliance, have a look at their website.). Both savanna elephants and forest elephants reside in Virunga National Park, making it one of the few places in the world where both species co-exist. Shoebills are tall, stork-like birds with wing spans that can reach over 8 feet (2.4 meters). The vegetation above 2,600m (8,500ft) is subalpine with foremost African redwood (Hagenia abyssinica) growing up to 3,000m (9,800ft). As anyone who has ever spent time with gorillas will tell you, it is an experience that defies words and borders on sacred. / 2.000S 30.000E / -2.000; 30.000. Later in the Pleistocene (about 900,000 to 130,000 years ago), Karisimbi, Visoke, Mgahinga, and Muhavura appeared, all but Karisimbi possessing a crater summit. [32] It is headed by Andr Bauma, a man who has become almost as famous as his gorilla charges. The Virunga Mountains (also known as Mufumbiro[1]) are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, along the northern border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Uganda. During the 2002 eruption, some of Nyiragongos lava flows were clocked at 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) and reached all the way to Lake Kivu. Preventing these plans the park gained further protection by an agreement sealed between DRCs president Felix Tshisekedi and Boris Johnson at the 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. Together, these three protected areas form the core of the Greater Virunga Ecosystem. Fuelled by subsistence and profit-driven poaching, rebel groups launch attacks on patrol posts in the Northern Sector of the Park. The crowned crane stands at over 3 feet (1 meter) tall, with predominantly grey plumage, white and black wings, a bright red gular pouch, and a crown of golden feathers. The latter organisation is responsible for park management since 2010; about 80% of management costs are subsidised by the EC. And last, but not least, the heart-stopping, utterly gorgeous and mysterious Shelleys Crimsonwing, which has never been photographed other than when netted during biodiversity surveys. The Virunga Mountains : 8 Related Volcanoes. The connection between man and gorilla can be further explored at the Senkwekwe Centre, the only mountain gorilla orphanage in the world. When it was first established, Virunga National Park was limited to three volcanoes in the south, but was later expanded northward to include the Rwindi plains, Lake Edward and the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon. [15], Virunga National Park's flora encompasses 2,077 plant species, including 264 tree species and 230 plants that are endemic to the Albertine Rift. (800,000 hectares) an area roughly three times the size of Luxembourg. [3][47] However, another creature is arguably Virungas (and Africas) most peculiar offering. To comment on this story: Download our app here - it's a troll-free safe place . [39], In April 2020 at least 12 park rangers were killed by militia men attacking a civilian convoy. Despite the global call for protected areas to cover 30% of the earth by 2030, there are still many parks and reserves where the future hangs very much in the balance. 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. A narrow corridor of 35km (1.93.1mi) width along the lake's western bank connects the northern and southern sectors of the national park. It reopened in February 2019. national park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It erupts on average every two years. This partnership initiated a comprehensive reform program and planted the seed for what would become the Virunga Alliance an innovative development programme to address the root causes of poverty and conflict, with the aim of eradicating illegal and destructive resource extraction in the region. [25], Land laws were reformed in the 1960s after Belgian Congo became independent as the Republic of the Congo, and the land declared property of the state, much to the disadvantage of local people. The female, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet (2.4 meters), is larger than the male. Approximately one-third of the worlds population is found in Virunga National Park (the remainder is divided between Volcanoes, Mgahinga and Bwindi Impenetrable national parks in neighbouring Rwanda and Uganda). The camps of various armed factions are dismantled in the Central Sector of the Park. [31], Since the early 1990s, the protected area was impacted by political turmoil in the African Great Lakes region. Photo Galleries, Photographer of the Year, TRAVEL & CONSERVATION COMPANY Several armed rebel groups operate in the park, including Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda and National Congress for the Defence of the People (FDLR). Virunga National Park is one of the five UNESCO protected areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICCN. [8][9], There have been plans to drill for oil in the Congo Basin since the 2000s. 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. The word Virunga is got from a local word "Ibirunga* the Kinyarwanda word for "mountains". Two active volcanoes are located in the park, Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira. [45], The climate in the Albertine Rift is influenced by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the El NioSouthern Oscillation. The mountains are part of the Albertine rift located at the Great Rift Valley one of the world's largest natural features. Illegal hunting inside protected areas increased. ceo@africageographic.com, Travel & conservation company, since 1991,
, The oldest national park in Africa, Virunga National Park covers nearly 8,000km. Okapis are endangered, and there are probably only a few thousand remaining. Virungas southern sector is best known for its montane tropical forests, active volcanoes, and the mountain gorillas that live on the flanks of the dormant Mikeno volcano.Arthur Labinjo Hughes Websleuths,
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