On the border with Uganda and Rwanda, in the eastern part of the Congo, is one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites - Virunga. The national park is the oldest in Africa. It is spread over an area of 7,800 square kilometers, next to the eponymous volcanic mountain group on one side and the famous Lake Kivu on the other. The territory includes savannas and forests, swamps and plains, active volcanoes and ice-covered peaks of the Rwenzori mountains, pristine lakes and lava plateau. It is home to more than a quarter of the remaining mountain gorillas, the endangered okapi giraffe and many other animals, birds and plants.
Park area
Extensive lands cover the area from Lake Kivu to the Semlik River (middle course) in the western part of the border of the East African Rift Region. The territory is elongated and conditionally divided into three sectors:
- northern - with the snow-capped peaks of the Rwenzori mountains, the ice of which is one of the main water sources that feed the Nile River; right here along the river valley. Semliki can be found okapi;
- the central sector includes Lake Edward and the plains of Ishasha, Rutshuru and Rwindi, it is the main center for the diversity of bird and animal species, including large populations of elephants, hippos, etc.;
- southern sector includes the lava plateaus of Nyiragongo and Nyamlagira volcanoes, which are active, as well as other mountain peaks of the Virunga chain; most of the territory is covered with dense forests, which have become home to mountain gorillas and many other species of monkeys.
Facts from the history of the creation of the park
For the first time, the pristine nature of such a well-known object today as Virunga (National Park at present) was encountered in 1902 by the German army captain O. Behringe, who, during another hunt near the top of Mount Sabinio, killed a very large gorilla. Previously, it was believed that they could not live here. The hunter suggested that this is a new species, so he sent the skeleton of the killed animal to scientists in Germany. Comparing the anatomy of known primate species and material sent from Africa, they found morphological differences in 34 points. A year later, the animal was described by the researcher Paul Machi, but in the next 20 years, work on the study of a new subspecies ceased. This is explained by the difficult geopolitical situation and the uncertain status of this territory.
In 1921, an expedition led by American taxidermist, naturalist and sculptor Carl Aikley set off to the mountains. He received five stuffed animals for the museum, howeverthe main result of all his work is not in this. Observing the majestic gorillas, he studied many behavioral features, found that they live in stable family groups and in captivity can simply die without their relatives. He also determined that their number is not so large, so animals need to be protected and preserve their natural habitat. We can say that this marked the beginning of the establishment of a special status for such a natural area as Virunga. The national park was opened in 1925 and at that time was named after King Albert. Akeley personally defined its borders, including all the territories where gorillas lived. The park acquired its final name in 1969, almost ten years after the independence of the Congo.
Animal species in the reserve
The foundation of the park and its preservation is inextricably linked with mountain gorillas, as they are perhaps the main inhabitants, protected with special care and reverence. They are on the verge of extinction. A great contribution to the cause was made by naturalist D. Fossey, who was killed by poachers in the park in 1985. Further actions to preserve the species helped to somewhat improve the situation, but a new military conflict in 2008 led to the capture of the headquarters of the protected area. The future of gorillas was once again under threat due to large-scale deforestation. Significant damage was also caused to the entire animal world as a whole. Protected natural areas, especially forests and savannas, are home to buffaloes and elephants, giraffes, chimpanzees, warthogs, antelopes, lions, leopards, etc. The Congo is the onlythe state around the world where the okapi lives (pictured below) - an artiodactyl animal from the giraffe family.
The number of okapis is not exactly known, since the animals are very secretive and shy, but according to rough estimates, it ranges from 10 to 20 thousand individuals. The history of the discovery of the species became perhaps the main zoological sensation of the 20th century. Okapi is a resident of forests and feeds directly on foliage, so active cutting down of trees deprives him not only of his home, but also of food. And not only these animals suffer from such human actions. For 45 years, the number of hippos has decreased by almost 30 times, buffalo - by 40, savannah elephants - by 10.
Birds and reptiles
More than 800 bird species nest in the reserve, and 25 of them are absolute endemics and cannot be found anywhere else in the world. Near the water and in the swamps you can see cormorants, bitterns, ibises, water cutters, darters, ospreys, warblers, shoebills, representatives of weavers. Rare species such as Rockefeller's sunflower, large pied breast, banana-eaters and Oberlander's thrushes live in the highlands. Of the representatives of the class Reptiles, the most common are pythons, vipers, Jameson's mamba, black-necked cobra, Nile monitor lizard and crocodile, which reappeared in the waters of the Semliki River not so long ago.
Inhabitants of rivers and lakes
Appearing very large on the map, Lake Edward is the smallest of all of Africa's Great Pools. The area of its water surface is about 2325 square kilometers,located at an altitude of 920 meters. The maximum established depth is within 12 meters, but in fact the average is 17 m. It is shallow, therefore it does not have a very large variety of fish, mainly species from the Cichlid family predominate. They have a wide range of sizes - from 2.5 cm to 1 m - and body shapes. However, its main inhabitants are not fish at all, but hippos (see photo above), leading a semi-aquatic lifestyle. Huge animals (weighing up to 4 tons) with a restless disposition and a "bad" character, characterized by aggressiveness, are also on the verge of extinction. For almost half a century, their number has decreased by almost 95% percent, you see, a frightening figure. The meat of the animal has long been used as food by local residents, and its fangs are valued more than elephant tusks, which is why poaching is so common here.
Plant world
The flora of the reserve is very diverse. This is explained by the fact that Virunga is a national park that is crossed by several biogeographic zones. More than 2000 species of plants grow on the territory. The foothills and valleys are the place of dominance of grasses, from short to tall, and in the first case Cereals predominate, for example, the cylindrical emperor. There are also solitary trees: gingerbread, adansonia, baobabs, etc. Shrub savannahs and light forests are mainly filled with acacias and combretums, which are especially numerous near Lake Edward. In the coastal zone, papyrus, common reed, and syt are common. Gradually savannahs are replaced by dense and impenetrable rainforests, especiallynorthern part, half of which is located above 1800-2300 m above sea level. Wild date palm, bamboo grows here, and above 3000 m - heath, Erica arborescens, foot-bearing, etc.
Volcanoes of the park
The southern part of the park partially covers the lava plateaus of the Virunga volcanic massif. It passes through the territory of three states, its height is 4.5 km. The mountain range contains eight volcanoes, two of which are located in the Congo. The lava plateau was formed as a result of their vigorous activity, after a large volume of bas alt lava came to the surface. Volcano Nyamlagira is considered to be the most active on the territory of the entire continent. Since it was monitored, it has erupted 35 times. Lava plateaus cover an area of 1.5 thousand square meters. km. The second active volcano is Nyiragongo (photo above), since 1882, lava has erupted on the surface 34 times. The most active activity was recorded in 1977, and there were some casu alties.
Gorilla Conservation
Many of Virunga's plants and animals are rare or even endemic, but the focus is still on mountain gorillas, which are now threatened with extinction. The situation is complicated by constant armed conflicts in the region. Terrorists and poachers kill not only animals, but also rangers. So, in 2007, a whole family of five gorillas died in one day. The situation has improved somewhat in recent years, largely due toselfless work of rangers who literally risk their lives to save this corner of nature. All this, of course, requires global capital investments. Part comes from the World Wildlife Fund, a certain share comes from the tourism industry and from the state itself. Private organizations also actively help the park. The management is always ready to accept any possible help - from materials and food to financial transfers. All funds are used, among other things, for the construction of an electric fence to protect protected natural areas from the invasion of poachers and other unwanted guests.
Elephant Protection
These large, strong and very smart animals, oddly enough, are very vulnerable. Forest elephants, along with mountain gorillas, can be called the main inhabitants of Virunga Park. Illicit trafficking in ivory and tusks causes serious damage to the population of these animals. The rangers of the park turned to the whole world for help, they are ready to fight poachers, but this requires weapons and uniforms, equipment. The life of every animal is important, a lot of money is spent, including on the treatment of the wounded and crippled. Scientists have proven that animals are prone to post-traumatic stress disorder, similar to what happens in humans. In addition to treatment, elephants need rehabilitation, otherwise they become aggressive, emotionally unstable and harm the herd as a whole.
Stalking dogs
Dogs of the Bloodhound breed are knownexcellent sense of smell and the ability to strangle the mark. The animal is able to identify the desired smell from five million others, which allows it to track people even in difficult terrain. The territory of the park is vast and at the same time very diverse in relief: mountains (Rwenzori, Virunga), lava plateaus, plains and savannahs, swamps, lakes. It is important to accumulate all reserves in order to preserve this unique corner of nature. The project for the breeding and use of dogs in the Virunga park for protection and as bloodhounds is led by Dr. Marlene Zahner. All means are good in achieving your goals, so the teamwork of people and bloodhounds is very effective and useful.
Other national parks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo
It should be noted that specially protected natural areas occupy 15% of the entire area of the country, there are many of them, let's name only the most basic and extensive.
- Garamba is a park in the north-east of the state, one of the oldest in Africa, the territory is 4480 sq. km. In the north it is limited by savannahs and meadows with tall grasses, closer to the south they are replaced first by small forests, and then by gallery and tropical rainforests. Just a few years ago, a unique species lived in the park - the northern white rhinoceros. Now there are only three individuals of this species left, they live in the Kenyan reserve.
- Upemba is a reserve located on the Kibara plateau and has an area of 11.73 thousand square meters. km. It was opened in 1939, but to this day, all the plants and animals that live in it,not studied, and some, perhaps, are not known to science at all. The flora has approximately 1800 species.
- Kahuzi-Biega is a protected area in the south of the country. Virgin rainforests stretch at the very foot of two extinct volcanoes, which gave the name to this place. Area 6 thousand square meters. km. This is one of the last places where a rare primate species, the eastern lowland gorilla, lives in a population of only 250 individuals.
Virunga is a national park, literally flashing a red dot on the world map. Its position is so precarious and unstable that it threatens humanity with the loss of unique natural objects and hundreds of species of animals and birds.
