Networking & debating APP subscribers only, TRUSTED CONSERVATION PROJECTS The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. It spans across the three countries; via the North West Rwanda covering Volcanoes National Park, south western Uganda encompassing Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and eastern Congo forming part of Virunga National Park. [32] In 1994, Virunga National Park was entered into the List of World Heritage in Danger. The name Virunga comes from the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means volcanoes. [43], Virunga National Park is located in the Congo Nile watershed area. Learn more about Dodo Bahati, a project supporting anti-poaching efforts in Virunga National Park. The Virunga Mountains (Virunga massif/Virunga ranges) is a block of Chain Mountains found in East - central Africa. Fuelled by subsistence and profit-driven poaching, rebel groups launch attacks on patrol posts in the Northern Sector of the Park. Like humans, chimps communicate with facial expressions, gestures, and sounds. The Virunga Mountains are home of the critically endangered mountain gorilla, listed on the IUCN Red List of Endangered Species due to habitat loss, poaching, disease, and war (Butynski et al. A land of unparalleled biodiversity and exceptional beauty, bursting with life of every form. Recent eruptions occurred in 2006, 2010 and May 2021. It is founded primarily to protect the mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Massif. Government officials supported exploration activities by Soco International mission members, whereas park management opposed. Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}012545S 293254E / 1.42917S 29.54833E / -1.42917; 29.54833. The 2002 Nyiragongo eruption destroyed much of the nearby city of Goma, Congo, leaving thousands homeless. 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. [47] [5] Lake Rutenzige is fed by several large rivers, the Rutshuru River being one, and drains to the north through the Semliki River into Lake Albert. Senecio and Lobelia species grow on vast clearings and attain heights of up to 8m (26ft). However, taking one taxing step at a time has paid off. 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. The Virunga Mountains lie between Lakes Kivu and Edward and extend into Rwanda and Uganda. Though valiant efforts were made to protect the park, the end of the 20th century saw much of the parks wildlife massacred almost to the point of extinction. Virunga National Park, formerly Albert National Park, park in northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa). Between the early 1930s and 1961, several expeditions to Albert National Park were carried out by Belgian scientists, the second headed by Gaston-Franois de Witte. The range lies between the Lake Kivu and Lake Edward, and is an extension of the Albertine Rift Mountains. The most visited section is the southern sector, dominated by dense montane forests home to a vital population of Africas remaining mountain gorillas. The central sector is centred around the banks of Lake Edward. As anyone who has ever spent time with gorillas will tell you, it is an experience that defies words and borders on sacred. Updates? [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 shy and solitary animals that resemble zebras but are more closely related to the giraffe and are endemic to the DRC. 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. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Established 1991, BEST SAFARI PRICES Virunga National Park is one of the five UNESCO protected areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICCN. Hiking the Sabyinyo volcano takes approximately 7 to 9 hours. Naturally, the park authorities are aware of this, and they take the safety of their guests extremely seriously. Corrections? 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. Ultra-luxury is not the order of the day in Virunga, but there are high-end accommodation options, and all the camps are comfortable. In the wake of serious security issues, including the murder of park rangers and the kidnapping of tourists, park management announced in June 2018 that the park would be closed to tourists until at least the end of the year. The great blue turaco is the largest member of the turaco family. (UK) +44 (23) 9387-7464 The word Virunga is and English word derived from Kinyarwanda word "Ibirunga" to meat "Mountains" Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Up to 40,000 people entered the park daily in search of firewood and food, and deforested huge areas. [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. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. [50], The Semliki River provides habitat for Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). The Virunga Mountains, located in the northwest part of Rwanda, contain the country's highest peak, Karisimbi, which reaches nearly 15,000 feet. Virunga National Park - Africa Geographic [2], In 2011, the British company Soco International was granted a concession for extracting crude oil in the surroundings of and in large parts of the national park. Oil exploration threatens the Park, sparking deep concerns from the international community. (For more on the conservation and social developments by the Virunga Alliance. One of Africas most spectacular protected areas. Which mountain in Uganda has snow? - 2023 The largest herd of elephants over 500 - since the 1980's are observed in the Ishasha corridor of Virunga. The increased human population contributed to deforestation and poaching, and some natural animal migration patterns have been seriously disrupted. [6] It has been listed in the List of World Heritage in Danger since 1994 because of civil unrest and the increase of human presence in the region. In elevation, it ranges from 680 m (2,230 ft) in the Semliki River valley to 5,109 m (16,762 ft) in the Rwenzori Mountains.From north to south it extends approximately 300 km (190 mi), largely along the international borders with Uganda and . While sightings of these animal oddities in Virunga are few and far between, they were spotted in the northern sector before the arrival of the militia. 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. Nyamuragira is a high-potassium basaltic shield volcano with an elevation of 10,033 feet (3,058 meters). Virunga Mountains - Virunga Volcanoes, Virunga Mountain Ranges Communities around Lake Edward are fearful of the impact of potential oil activity on their livelihoods. Many lesser cones flank the major volcanoes. [54] The Virunga Mountains and their associated lava flows extend across the Western Rift Valley. To mark Congolese independence from colonialism, Parc Albert is renamed Virunga National Park. The Park is founded as Parc Albert, the first national park to be established on the African continent. African fish eagles are birds of prey that live in the waterways of sub-Saharan Africa. Virunga is the continents most biologically diverse protected area and a national park embarking on an ambitious development programme known as the Virunga Alliance. In 2007, the mass killing of the Rugendo family of gorillas catapulted the parks plight onto the world stage, and the global attention spurned increased funding and conservation measures. The northern sector is characterised by the dramatic Rwenzori Mountains, with sharp peaks and plunging valleys that descend to the Semuliki River valley. Its northern sector encompasses part of the Semliki River basin, as well as savanna and montane forest of the Albertine Rift. 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). The Virunga Mountains | Congo Safari Tours | Explore Congo Here, Virunga reaches Lake Kivu and borders Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. [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. The first maps resulted from the major expedition of Adolf Friedrich, duke of Mecklenburg, which was undertaken in 190708. It covers an area of 8,090 km2 (3,120 sq mi). Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The name Virunga comes from the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means volcanoes. 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. Following international protests, the company stopped exploring activities and consented to refrain from starting similar operations in the vicinity of World Heritage sites. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Virunga Mountains Several were observed at the northern shore of Lake Edwards in 1988 for the first time. In 1926, Derscheid headed the first Belgian mission to map Albert National Park, which encompassed an area of 500km2 (190sqmi) around the extinct volcanoes Mount Karisimbi and Mount Mikeno. Virungas most prominent mammals include forest and savanna elephants, hippos, okapis, lions and mountain gorillas. La Fondation Virunga Belgique was incorporated in 2015 to support Virunga National Park through fundraising and public outreach. The volcanos forested lower slopes are home to a variety of animals, including chimpanzees, monkeys, and bushbuck. [56], Of the Albertine Rift's endemic birds, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, Archer's ground robin, red-throated alethe, Kivu ground thrush, collared apalis, mountain masked apalis, dusky crimson-wing, Shelley's crimsonwing, red-faced woodland warbler, stripe-breasted tit, blue-headed sunbird, regal sunbird, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, handsome spurfowl and strange weaver were recorded in Virunga National Park's southern sector during surveys in 2004. Virunga Mountains | Location, Description, & Facts The 300km-long park is divided into three primary sectors: northern, central, and southern, which together combine to protect an astonishing array of landscapes from alpine vegetation and montane forests to lava plains and wetlands. [61][62] Ndakasi, a gorilla from the park, was featured in a few television series and movies, including the Netflix documentary.[63]. Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (once critically endangered) mountain gorillas. [44] Illegal hunting inside protected areas increased. The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo, which rises 3,634 metres (11,923ft) above sea level. [2], The northern sector of Virunga National Park is contiguous with Uganda's Semuliki park, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and the central sector with Queen Elizabeth National Park. 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. The six volcanoes of the centre and east are extinct. The Rwenzori Mountains National Park covers nearly 100,000 ha in western Uganda and comprises the main part of the Rwenzori mountain chain, which includes Africa's third highest peak (Mount Margherita: 5,109 m). Habituation is a critical component of gorilla conservation, as it allows for detailed research to be undertaken on the species. 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. We rely on Global Rescue to assist our clients. The past 14 years have been far from plain sailing, and the park has suffered its fair share of losses, particularly of the brave rangers dedicated to protecting the park. is the branch of the Congolese government tasked with the protection and conservation of protected areas in the DRC. Some biologists even believe that a fifth subspecies, called the mountain or Virunga buffalo, should be recognised. The word Virunga is got from a local word "Ibirunga* the Kinyarwanda word for "mountains". 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. The slopes of Mount Mikeno play host to a number of Virungas critically endangered mountain gorilla families. Two major African rivers, the Nile and the. This may also be done to protect the highly susceptible apes from human diseases like Covid-19. Okapi (Okapia johnstoni), blue duiker (Philantomba monticola), bay duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), Weyns's duiker (C. weynsi), yellow-backed duiker (C. silvicultor), water chevrotain (Hyemoschus aquaticus), red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), aardvark (Orycteropus afer) and bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) were recorded in the northern sector in 2008. The protected area is a portion of the Virunga massif a chain of 8 volcanic mountains that straddle the borders between Uganda, Rwanda and DR Congo. Albertine Rift - Wikipedia Key Information. Still, military and rebel forces remain in eastern Congo and continue fighting as well as poaching and cutting down trees. Campaigners trying to create public awareness are threatened and intimidated on social media. They consume mainly fish but have been known to consume carrion, birds, monkeys and even crocodile hatchlings when prey is scarce. 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. The name "Virunga" is an English version of the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means "volcanoes". [40] Again in January 2021, armed men killed at least six rangers and wounded several others in an ambush in the national park. In elevation, it ranges from 680m (2,230ft) in the Semliki River valley to 5,109m (16,762ft) in the Rwenzori Mountains. 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. Virunga Mountains in Congo were formed as a result of volcanic activity from the past. The park also encompasses savannas, peat bogs, marshes, lava plains, eastern steppe vegetation, and various types of forests, including tropical rainforest and bamboo. Want to go on a safari to Virunga? The endangered Rwenzori duiker or Rwenzori red duiker is a stocky, small antelope endemic to the alpine zones of the Rwenzori mountains. Y rt nhiu cu v d dch cha "VN QUC GIA CONGO" - ting vit-ting anh bn dch v ng c cho bn dch ting vit tm kim. Following the Rwandan genocide, thousands of refugees fled to the Kivu region, and the presence of military increased. The southern sector borders Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park. Virunga National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Centre Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). The national park's central sector encompasses about two thirds of Lake Edward up to the international border with Uganda in the east. Anti-poaching patrols inside the park were obstructed, and park personnel and wildlife were killed. Around one third of the world population of critically endangered mountain gorillas live in the lush volcanic forests of Virunga National Park. In this near-forgotten corner of Africa, adventurers, soul-seekers, and naturalists will find an electrifying celebration of life at its most raw a kaleidoscope of natures wonders and a living history of human and wild resilience. [15], Virunga National Park's faunal species include 196 mammals, 706 bird species, 109 reptiles and 65 amphibians as of 2012. 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 mountain gorilla is taken off the IUCN critically endangered species list, marking a victory for Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan National Parks. [34], Efforts at nature conservation have had contradictory effects, for example when farms were destroyed within Kibirizi, and soldiers and park guards were sent in to patrol, people migrated even further within the park to land controlled by the FDLR, where they could rent small plots of land. 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. Take a Thrilling Adventure in Uganda Hiking the Sabyinyo Volcano The southern sector of Congos Virunga National Park includes those portions of the mountains that are within Congo; the southern flanks of the central and eastern mountains comprise Volcanoes National Park in northwestern Rwanda; and Gorilla National Park includes the Ugandan slopes of Mgahinga. Virunga national park located in the democratic republic of Congo hosts 6 Virunga volcanoes that is mount karisimbi, mount Nyiragongo, mount Sabyinyo, mount Mikeno, mount Nyamurangira, and Mount Bisoke. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Virunga Foundation is a UK-based charity founded in 2005, created to support the protection of the flora and fauna of the Park, and to generate benefits for the local communities that live around the national park. The oldest national park in Africa, Virunga National Park covers nearly 8,000km2 (800,000 hectares) an area roughly three times the size of Luxembourg. This innovative, community focussed approach to conservation is working to reduce the pressures currently faced by the Parks Rangers from armed groups, illegal poaching, and land encroachment. [26] Park personnel are given paramilitary training and high-quality weaponry, and operate together with the military and state security services. [45], The climate in the Albertine Rift is influenced by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the El NioSouthern Oscillation. As a consequence, the park remained closed to visitors from June 2018[38] until February 2019. Mountain gorillas aside, Virungas great ape collection also includes eastern lowland gorillas (Grauers gorillas Gorilla beringei graueri) and chimpanzees. Poachers murder four mountain gorillas, making this the first time in 10 years that a mountain gorilla had been poached within Park borders. It is also a vital elephant habitat, as evidenced by the unexpected migration of, nearly 600 elephants from neighbouring Queen Elizabeth. The 2008 partnership between the Congolese National Parks Authority (ICCN) and the Virunga Foundation marked a turning point in the parks history. (RSA) +27 (87) 551-8105 Virunga mountains, Volcanoe ranges - African Birding Trips 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. However, this is no idle volcano. Baumas love for his primate family endeared him to the audiences of the Oscar-nominated film, Mountain gorillas aside, Virungas great ape collection also includes, While the apes may be the stars, the supporting cast of around 19 smaller primate species is deserving of a special mention. Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda Parc National Des Volcans Guide To comment on this story: Download our app here - it's a troll-free safe place . Its initial size of 2,920.98km2 (1,127.80sqmi) was enlarged step by step in subsequent years. (For more on the conservation and social developments by the Virunga Alliance, have a look at their website.). 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. 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. However, taking one taxing step at a time has paid off. 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). [4] The 2008 partnership between the Congolese National Parks Authority (ICCN) and the Virunga Foundation marked a turning point in the parks history. ceo@africageographic.com, Travel & conservation company, since 1991,
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