Home to Africa’s largest economy
and human population, Nigeria variety of wild animals, Nigeria’s environs has
never ceased to attract adventurers and travellers to explore the beauty of her
wild safari.
Various kinds of wildlife abound
in Nigeria ranging from the wildcats to the migratory birds protected within
the natural sanctuaries and parks. Nigeria’s wildlife parks have a wide variety
of interesting sites exposing the cultural, history, archaeological uniqueness
of her ecosystem.
Here are some of the fascinating
wildlife parks that you ought to check in Nigeria:
Kamuku National park. Extending to about 1121 square kilometres of
tropical savannah woodland vegetation and housing various species of animals
like elephants, antelopes and wild cats, the Kamuku National park has proved to
be a success in promoting and projecting
the ecosystem.
Located at Kaduna state Northern
Nigeria, the park’s natural features includes the Dogon Ruma water falls, the
Goron Dutse an enormous secluded inselberg with a smooth surface stratified in
a pattern of black and white squares and the Tsuaunin Rema, a hill made of
large boulders on top of each, with a large population of Rock Hyraxes.
Chad Basin National Park. Located in north-eastern Nigeria the chad
basin covers a total area of 2,258 square kilometre. Fragmented into three
sectors with no distinctive boundaries the park is generally referred to as the
conventional basin of the famous Lake Chad. Chad basin national park is endowed
with a wonderful homely climate that attracts visitors from all over the world.
The park hosted Prince Philip in
1989 when he was President of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and some parts of
the park were also visited by Prince Charles and Princess Diana in 1990.
Cross River National Park. The cross river national park is located
in cross river state and comprises of two separate sections Oba (established
1988) and Okwangwo (1991). Covering a total area of about 4000 square
kilometres the cross river state is Nigeria last great rainforest reserve and
the closest to the mangrove swamps on the coastal region.
Having one of the oldest
rainforests in Africa the cross river national park is also one of the 25 UN
acclaimed biodiversity hot spots in the world. Some parts of the national park
stretch along the Guinea-Congolian region of the lowland rainforest harbouring
closed canopy and scattered emergent trees that reach a height of between 40
and 50 meters. Research has revealed that the vegetable here has evolved over
55 million years ago.
The park houses about 119 species
of mammals, including 18 out of the 23 species of monkeys found in Nigeria. It
is also home to 48 species of fish and also 950 species of butterflies among
other varieties of insects.
Gashaka Gumti National Park. The Gashaka Gumti National Park (GGNP)
is located in the mountainous area of the north-eastern Nigeria with an
international border with Cameroon. It is the largest of all the national parks
in Nigeria covering a total area of 6731 square kilometres.
Located in Taraba state, the
southern sector of the park has a rugged terrain from about 300 metres to 2,419
metres at Chappal Waddi Nigeria’s highest mountain.
With a pleasant varying climate
condition ranging from tropical dry humid, tropical moist humid in the lowlands
to the sub-tropical highland weather on the high plateau ground Chappal Waddi,
GGNP is no doubt an epitome of African beauty.
There is an unceasing river flow
even during the markedly dry season.
Also contained in the park are
some historic sites one of which is the pre 1918 German fort and garrison top of Gashaka Hill once used as a watch
tower by the German military tour in that area.
Kainji National Park. Established in 1979 and located in Kwara
state, the Kainji national park incorporates the Borgu game reserve and Zumgurma
game reserve to the southeast and a part of the Kainji Lake.
It is Nigeria’s premier national
park. Kainji national park covers a total area of 5,340.82 square kilometres.
The Zumgurma game reserve covers an area of about 1,370 square kilometres and
the Borgu sector of the park covers an area of about 3,929 square kilometres of
savannah woodland. The park also houses some parts of Kainji Lake, an
artificial lake that covers the town of old Bussa.
The park is a must-see. It
contains many animals like hippopotamus, lions, monkeys, buffalo and beautiful
water features that make it stand out.
Okomu National Park. This national park covers about 777 square
kilmoteres making it the smallest national park in Nigeria. It is a rain forest
formerly known as the Okomu wildlife sanctuary. The park is about 60km
northwest of Benin City, Edo state. The Okomu National park is a good habitat
for numerous endangered flora and fauna species. The park contains a viable
population of the rare white throated Guenon Cercepithicus Erythrogaster, a
monkey endemic to southwest Nigeria.
From the Niger River West to the Dahoney
cap in Benin, the park holds a remnant of the Nigerian lowland forest that once
formed a continuous 50-100km wide belt. In Okomu Park you will find an
extensive layer of charcoal and clay below the forest.
The park is also home to many
endangered species making it a huge attraction to explorers and travellers. The
park is home to 33 species of mammals including the African Buffalo and
endangered African forest elephant.
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