According to a 2010 report by the United Nations Security Council, 80% of the charcoal consumed by the city of Goma is sourced from the park, representing an annual value of US$2830 million. Nyiragongos summit rim is largely devoid of vegetation and is sometimes dusted with snow. For decades, the people of the DRC have struggled through war and instability that has killed millions of people. However, wet seasons are a good option for those with a pair of solid, waterproof boots looking to take advantage of the low-season discounts. The Virunga chained Mountains cover three African countries, including the southwestern of Uganda, which covers Mgahinga Gorilla National Park; the Democratic Republic of Congo in the east, covering the Virunga national park, and Rwanda covering the Volcanoes National park. 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. These, in turn, keep the lions of the park suitably satiated. They studied and collected zoological specimens of wildlife for the Muse Royal d'Histoire Naturelle de Belgique;[20][21] explored the ethnic groups in this area;[22] studied volcanic activity,[23] and fossils. Hiking the Sabyinyo volcano takes approximately 7 to 9 hours. Fuelled by subsistence and profit-driven poaching, rebel groups launch attacks on patrol posts in the Northern Sector of the Park. It reopened in February 2019. national park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. 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. The female, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet (2.4 meters), is larger than the male. Their ambitious peace-building program aims to create 100,000 jobs, providing young Congolese with viable alternatives to conflict-related activities. [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. Getting to the summit of these mountains takes an average of 5 . The Virunga Mountains, located in the northwest part of Rwanda, contain the country's highest peak, Karisimbi, which reaches nearly 15,000 feet. 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. 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. Conservation protects the mountains alpine vegetation, as well as wildlife that includes the golden monkey and the mountain gorilla. 689 men and women standing fearlessly to protect Virunga, Critical training and support for widows and children of fallen Virunga Rangers, The world's only facility caring for mountain gorilla orphans. However, this is no idle volcano. Naturally, the park authorities are aware of this, and they take the safety of their guests extremely seriously. In the west, Nyamulagira, Nyiragongo, and Mikeno are in Congo; Karisimbiat 14,787 feet the highest of the Virunga volcanoesand Visoke are centrally placed on the Congo-Rwanda frontier; and farther east Sabinio (Sabinyo), Mgahinga (Gahinga), and Muhavura, also known as the Mufumbiro Mountains, are . The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo, which rises 3,634 metres (11,923ft) above sea level. [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). [19], In 1934, the Institut des Parcs Nationaux du Congo Belge was founded as the governing body for national parks in the Belgian Congo. The mountain gorilla is taken off the IUCN critically endangered species list, marking a victory for Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan National Parks. As anyone who has ever spent time with gorillas will tell you, it is an experience that defies words and borders on sacred. (800,000 hectares) an area roughly three times the size of Luxembourg. Virunga Mountains: The stunning Virunga Mountains are a chain of Volcano Mountains shared between Uganda, Rwanda and Congo. Though valiant efforts were made to protect the park, the end of the 20. century saw much of the parks wildlife massacred almost to the point of extinction. 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. Chattering troops of flamboyant eastern b, There are four recognised subspecies of the African buffalo in Africa and two of these the Cape and forest are found in Virunga. One of Africas most spectacular protected areas. 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. They are located between Lake Edward and Lake Kivu. Mean monthly rainfall in the savanna around Lake Edward is 3040mm (1.21.6in); this is the driest part of the landscape. Geography of Rwanda. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Virunga-National-Park, UNESCO World Heritage Centre - Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa). 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. Several were observed at the northern shore of Lake Edwards in 1988 for the first time. They are situated in the same region at the borders of the three countries. Massive pods of hippo lurk around the shallows of Lake Edward and wallow in the various rivers, and bongo antelope have been spotted in the parks northern reaches. Tree heath (Erica arborea), heather and mosses cover humid slopes up to 3,700m (12,100ft) elevation. 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. 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. Virunga has a vision for responsibly harnessing the Parks natural resources to create new opportunities for the four million people that live within a days walk of its borders. Every morning, rangers set out at the crack of dawn to track down and monitor their charges, and by the time guests have stirred and downed their first coffee, many families have already been located. [5], In 1979, the National Park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its rich diversity of habitats, exceptional biodiversity and endemism, and its protection of rare mountain gorilla habitat. 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. [5][21][49][50], African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) and African buffalo (Syncerus caffer) inhabit the national park's central sector. Chimpanzees are an endangered species and one of the four species of great apes. However, another creature is arguably Virungas (and Africas) most peculiar offering. The Virunga Mountains that mark the southern sector of the park consist of eight major volcanoes, most of which are dormant. It is headed by Andr Bauma, a man who has become almost as famous as his gorilla charges. Farther north are the Rutshuru Falls and the Mai ya Moto sulfur springs. Of the population, 12,000 reside in South Africa and 18,000 in East Africa. Fortunately, stalwart sightseers can rest assured that the volcanos moods are carefully monitored lest it decides to let loose its fury of molten lava. The 2008 partnership between the Congolese National Parks Authority (ICCN) and the Virunga Foundation marked a turning point in the parks history. Some biologists even believe that a fifth subspecies, called the mountain or Virunga buffalo, should be recognised. The great volcanoes of this range, clothed in cloud forests, include the dormant Mikeno, Karisimbi, Visoke, and Sabinio (Sabinyo), as well as the active Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira. Here, Virunga reaches Lake Kivu and borders Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Mgahinga National Park in Uganda. [49] All of the topi (Damaliscus lunatus jimela) cluster to the south of Lake Edward in the Ishasha Flats region, and regularly cross the border into Uganda. 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. All travel bookings booked via Trust my Travel are financially protected by them. However, taking one taxing step at a time has paid off. While the apes may be the stars, the supporting cast of around 19 smaller primate species is deserving of a special mention. [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. It was the first national park to be established on the continent of Africa, primarily to protect the mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Massif. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. The Parks visitor accommodation at Mikeno Lodge welcomes new guests seeking to visit Virunga. The increased human population contributed to deforestation and poaching, and some natural animal migration patterns have been seriously disrupted. [34], These tactics, criticised as "militarization of conservation", has been blamed for further violence and dispossession faced by local indigenous people. [12] Local and global groups, such as Greenpeace, are warning about the social and ecological impact of devastating the forest for oil production. [5] 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. Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (once critically endangered) mountain gorillas. Lions are carnivores that consume a wide variety of prey, from wildebeest, impala, zebra, giraffe, buffalo and wild hogs to the occasional rhino, hippo, or elephant when food is scarce. 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. In addition to buffalo, the plains support several ungulates, including topi, Ugandan kob, waterbuck, warthog, and red river and giant forest hog. It erupts on average every two years. 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). 400,000 people are evacuated and 147 are killed in the eruption. [37] In May 2018, a ranger was killed when defending two tourists who were kidnapped. 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. 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. Seven mountain gorillas from the Rugendo family are murdered. The grey crowned crane can be found in the wetlands, open grasslands, savannas, and cultivated areas and tropical lowland forests near the Ishasha River and Rwindi River. They are solitary creatures who remain isolated except when threatened or breeding. The 8 Virunga Volcano Mountains: The Virunga is a chain of Volcanic Mountains in East Africa that's shared between Uganda, Rwanda and DRC. January 17, Nyiragongo volcano erupts spreading lava through the city of Goma. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. Mount Mikeno is an extinct volcano located in the Virunga Mountains. The gorilla massacres catalyzed a groundswell of efforts to protect Virunga. Most visitors access the park via Rwanda and pass through the border at Goma. 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. Of these, nine gorilla families have been carefully habituated over the last thirty years. Together, these three protected areas form the core of the Greater Virunga Ecosystem. The name Virunga comes from the Kinyarwanda word ibirunga, which means volcanoes. At 26,338 square kilometres (10,169 sq mi), Rwanda is the world's 149th-largest country. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) are a subspecies of the critically endangered eastern gorilla, and there are believed to be just over 1,000 remaining. [45], The climate in the Albertine Rift is influenced by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the El NioSouthern Oscillation. 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. Following international protests, the company stopped exploring activities and consented to refrain from starting similar operations in the vicinity of World Heritage sites. [16][18] Between the late 1930s and 1955, an estimated 85,000 Rwandophone people were moved to nearby Masisi in North Kivu. The most recent eruption occurred in 2021 and had catastrophic consequences for the human residents of the city of Goma. 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. It is Virunga National Park in DRC, and it is remarkable. [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. [43], Virunga National Park is located in the Congo Nile watershed area. The, However, this is no idle volcano. In Virungas southern sector around Bukima, there are currently ten habituated gorilla families and four solitary males which are also habituated, meaning that they are unafraid of human presence. We rely on Global Rescue to assist our clients. Mount Nyiragongo is 3,470 meters, Mount Nyamuragira is 3,058 meters and Mount Mikeno is 4,437 meters. When Albert National Park was established in April 1925 as the Congo's first national park, it was conceived as a science-oriented nature reserve with the aim of studying and preserving wildlife and so-called "primitive" hunter-gatherer African Pygmies. 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. It is headed by Andr Bauma, a man who has become almost as famous as his gorilla charges. The first maps resulted from the major expedition of Adolf Friedrich, duke of Mecklenburg, which was undertaken in 190708. Networking & debating APP subscribers only, TRUSTED CONSERVATION PROJECTS Virunga National Park is one of the five UNESCO protected areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICCN. [10][11] To improve the country's economic situation the government undermined that very protection by auctioning oil exploration blocks inside the park by the end of July 2022. 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. 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. The park is also home to a diverse array of fauna and flora, including over 200 mammal species and a third of the worlds remaining mountain gorillas. Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (, . 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. Its initial size of 2,920.98km2 (1,127.80sqmi) was enlarged step by step in subsequent years. Many lesser cones flank the major volcanoes. Discounts at Africas best lodges and on our hand-made packages subscribers only, STORIES & DISCUSSIONS The ICCN and Virunga Foundation enter into a long term management agreement. 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 Centre is the only one of its kind in the world. Learn more about mountain gorillas in our story on these gentle giants. These local men and women go through intensive training, risking their lives on a daily basis to safeguard the Parks exceptional wildlife, including the last of the worlds endangered mountain gorillas. Like humans, chimps communicate with facial expressions, gestures, and sounds. Okapis are endangered, and there are probably only a few thousand remaining. The mountain range is said to be a part of the Albertine Rift located in the Great Rift Valley. Marked the end of the M23 war, and tourism is officially relauched in the Park after being forced to close for almost two years. [55] The area is considered a potential lion (Panthera leo) stronghold, if poaching is curbed and prey species recover. 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. 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. Only 629 hippos remain in the Park, a 98% decrease from the 30,000 of the 1960s and 1970s. In addition to buffalo, the plains support several ungulates, including topi, Ugandan kob, waterbuck, warthog, and red river and giant forest hog. 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. African fish eagles are birds of prey that live in the waterways of sub-Saharan Africa. The mountain range consists of eight major volcanoes. The Virunga Mountains are 8 famously known mountain ranges that lie on the northern border of Rwanda and Congo and south western part of Uganda. The great blue turaco is the largest member of the turaco family. 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. Eastern Congo is one of the most economically disadvantaged places on earth, and competition for the Parks rich natural resources has always been fierce. Created in 1925, it has an area of some 3,050 square miles (7,900 square km) and contains a vast diversity of habitats. Park protection efforts were militarised in the following years to deter armed rebel groups and poachers from operating inside the park. Naturally, the park authorities are aware of this, and they take the safety of their guests extremely seriously. The Park is founded as Parc Albert, the first national park to be established on the African continent. The national park's central sector encompasses about two thirds of Lake Edward up to the international border with Uganda in the east. Up to 40,000 people entered the park daily in search of firewood and food, and deforested huge areas. [39], In April 2020 at least 12 park rangers were killed by militia men attacking a civilian convoy. Want to go on a safari to Virunga? 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. Shoebills are tall, stork-like birds with wing spans that can reach over 8 feet (2.4 meters). Clashes occurred in 2015 when a local Mai-Mai group in Binza (north Bwisha) attempted to take back control of region, with the objective of reinstalling fishing activities and allowing the population to return, killing a park guard and 11-15 soldiers. 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. Key Information. The presence of these volcanoes has shaped the landscape of the park over the years . As a consequence, the park remained closed to visitors from June 2018[38] until February 2019. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site internationally recognized for its exceptional wildlife and habitats. Nyiragongo has erupted over thirty times since the end of the 19th century. It includes the Rwindi plains and the Ishasha River valley, and is contiguous with Ugandas Queen Elizabeth National Park to the east. Its northern sector encompasses part of the Semliki River basin, as well as savanna and montane forest of the Albertine Rift.
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