River Gambia National Park
Encyclopedia
River Gambia National Park is a national park in The Gambia
.
district
of Central River Division
. It lies on the left bank of the Gambia River
. The park includes the 585 ha (1,445.6 acre) Baboon Islands archipelago, which consists of one large and four small islands. The national park is not open to the public.
River Gambia National Park is adjacent to Nyassang Forest Park
. On some maps, the two parks are represented together as one area.
in the form of a riparian forest
.
-reintroduction
project, conducted by the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project (CRP) under the direction of Stella Marsden (daughter of Eddie Brewer). Chimpanzees confiscated from the illegal animal trade are reintroduced into the wild in the park. Marsden was awarded the Order of the British Empire
for her work. Prior to 1979, the primates were raised in Abuko Nature Reserve
. Today, several chimpanzee groups live unmolested by humans on the three largest river islands (435 ha, 77 ha und 53 ha). As of July 2006, there are 77 specimens. In the wild, chimpanzees became extinct in The Gambia in the early 20th century.
For the protection of the animals and visitors, entry onto the islands is not permitted, as chimpanzees can be highly aggressive towards humans. Exceptions are possible only with governmental approval. Even travel by boat around the islands was drastically reduced in 1998. In the past, some attempted to steal chimpanzees from the park.
Apart from the Common Chimpanzee
(Pan troglodytes verus), River Gambia National Park is also home to the Guinea Baboon
(Papio papio), Green Monkey
(Chlorocebus sabaeus), Western Red Colobus
(Piliocolobus badius), and marmoset
s (Callithrix). Other mammals include the prolific warthog
(Phacochoerus africanus) and some hippopotamus
es (Hippopotamus amphibius), which have become rare in The Gambia. In addition, the park is home to the aardvark
(Orycteropus afer senegalensis), Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis), Serval
(Leptailurus serval brachyura), Haussa Genet
(Genetta thierryi), African Clawless Otter
(Aonyx capensis), and West African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis).
Of the antelopes, there is the Bushbuck
(Tragelaphus scriptus), Maxwell's Duiker
(Cephalophus maxwellii), and Common Duiker
(Sylvicapra grimmia). Reptiles are likewise plentiful, and include the Nile Crocodile
(Crocodylus niloticus), snakes, and lizards. The bird life is equally species-rich.
The Gambia
The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....
.
Topography
Established in 1978, River Gambia National Park is located in Niamina EastNiamina East
Niamina East is one of the ten districts of the Central River Division of The Gambia....
district
Districts of the Gambia
The Gambia is subdivided into 37 districts. They are listed below, by region. -Banjul:*Banjul*Kanifing-Central River Division:*Fulladu West*Janjanbureh*Lower Saloum*Niamina Dankunku*Niamina East...
of Central River Division
Central River Division
Central River is the largest of the five administrative divisions of The Gambia. Its capital is Janjanbureh , on MacCarthy Island...
. It lies on the left bank of the Gambia River
Gambia River
The Gambia River is a major river in West Africa, running from the Fouta Djallon plateau in north Guinea westward through Senegal and The Gambia to the Atlantic Ocean at the city of Banjul...
. The park includes the 585 ha (1,445.6 acre) Baboon Islands archipelago, which consists of one large and four small islands. The national park is not open to the public.
River Gambia National Park is adjacent to Nyassang Forest Park
Nyassang Forest Park
Nyassang Forest Park is a Forest Park in The Gambia. Established on January 1, 1954, it covers 2347 hectares....
. On some maps, the two parks are represented together as one area.
Flora
The vegetation on the flat Baboon Islands is typical of a tropical rainforestTropical rainforest
A tropical rainforest is an ecosystem type that occurs roughly within the latitudes 28 degrees north or south of the equator . This ecosystem experiences high average temperatures and a significant amount of rainfall...
in the form of a riparian forest
Riparian forest
A riparian forest is a forested area of land adjacent to a body of water such as a river, stream, pond, lake, marshland, estuary, canal, sink or reservoir. -Etymology:...
.
Fauna
Since 1979, River Gambia National Park is site of a chimpanzeeCommon Chimpanzee
The common chimpanzee , also known as the robust chimpanzee, is a great ape. Colloquially, the common chimpanzee is often called the chimpanzee , though technically this term refers to both species in the genus Pan: the common chimpanzee and the closely related bonobo, formerly called the pygmy...
-reintroduction
Reintroduction
Reintroduction is the deliberate release of a species into the wild in zones formerly inhabited by said species but where it has disappeared from for a number of reasons, from captivity or relocated from other areas where the species still survives in...
project, conducted by the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project (CRP) under the direction of Stella Marsden (daughter of Eddie Brewer). Chimpanzees confiscated from the illegal animal trade are reintroduced into the wild in the park. Marsden was awarded the Order of the British Empire
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
for her work. Prior to 1979, the primates were raised in Abuko Nature Reserve
Abuko Nature Reserve
Abuko National Park is a nature reserve in The Gambia lying south of the town of Abuko. It is a popular tourist attraction and was the country's first designated wildlife reserve.-History:...
. Today, several chimpanzee groups live unmolested by humans on the three largest river islands (435 ha, 77 ha und 53 ha). As of July 2006, there are 77 specimens. In the wild, chimpanzees became extinct in The Gambia in the early 20th century.
For the protection of the animals and visitors, entry onto the islands is not permitted, as chimpanzees can be highly aggressive towards humans. Exceptions are possible only with governmental approval. Even travel by boat around the islands was drastically reduced in 1998. In the past, some attempted to steal chimpanzees from the park.
Apart from the Common Chimpanzee
Common Chimpanzee
The common chimpanzee , also known as the robust chimpanzee, is a great ape. Colloquially, the common chimpanzee is often called the chimpanzee , though technically this term refers to both species in the genus Pan: the common chimpanzee and the closely related bonobo, formerly called the pygmy...
(Pan troglodytes verus), River Gambia National Park is also home to the Guinea Baboon
Guinea Baboon
The Guinea baboon is a baboon from the Old World monkey family. Some classifications list only two species in the genus Papio, this one and the Hamadryas baboon. In those classifications, all other Papio species are considered subspecies of P...
(Papio papio), Green Monkey
Green Monkey
The green monkey , also known as the Callithrix monkey, is an Old World monkey with golden-green fur and pale hands and feet. The tip of the tail is golden yellow as are the backs of the thighs and cheek whiskers. It does not have a distinguishing band of fur on the brow, like other Chlorocebus...
(Chlorocebus sabaeus), Western Red Colobus
Western Red Colobus
The western red colobus is a species of Old World monkey found in West African forests from Senegal to Ghana. All other species of red colobuses have formerly been considered subspecies of P. badius. It is often hunted by the common chimpanzee...
(Piliocolobus badius), and marmoset
Marmoset
Marmosets are the 22 New World monkey species of the genera Callithrix, Cebuella, Callibella, and Mico. All four genera are part of the biological family Callitrichidae. The term marmoset is also used in reference to the Goeldi's Monkey, Callimico goeldii, which is closely related.Most marmosets...
s (Callithrix). Other mammals include the prolific warthog
Warthog
The Warthog or Common Warthog is a wild member of the pig family that lives in grassland, savanna, and woodland in Sub-Saharan Africa. In the past it was commonly treated as a subspecies of P...
(Phacochoerus africanus) and some hippopotamus
Hippopotamus
The hippopotamus , or hippo, from the ancient Greek for "river horse" , is a large, mostly herbivorous mammal in sub-Saharan Africa, and one of only two extant species in the family Hippopotamidae After the elephant and rhinoceros, the hippopotamus is the third largest land mammal and the heaviest...
es (Hippopotamus amphibius), which have become rare in The Gambia. In addition, the park is home to the aardvark
Aardvark
The aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa...
(Orycteropus afer senegalensis), Honey Badger (Mellivora capensis), Serval
Serval
The serval , Leptailurus serval or Caracal serval, known in Afrikaans as Tierboskat, "tiger-forest-cat", is a medium-sized African wild cat. DNA studies have shown that the serval is closely related to the African golden cat and the caracal...
(Leptailurus serval brachyura), Haussa Genet
Haussa Genet
The Haussa Genet , also known as Thierry's Genet, is a carnivoran mammal, related to linsangs and civets. It lives in the savannah zone of Africa from Senegal to area south of Lake Chad....
(Genetta thierryi), African Clawless Otter
African Clawless Otter
The African clawless otter , also known as the cape clawless otter or groot otter, is the second largest freshwater species of otter. African clawless otters are found near permanent bodies of water in savannah and lowland forest areas...
(Aonyx capensis), and West African Manatee (Trichechus senegalensis).
Of the antelopes, there is the Bushbuck
Bushbuck
The bushbuck is the most widespread antelope in Sub-Saharan Africa, and is found in rain forests, montane forests, forest-savanna mosaics and bush savannaforest and woodland. Recently, genetic studies have shown that the bushbuck, is in fact a complex of two geographically and phenotypically...
(Tragelaphus scriptus), Maxwell's Duiker
Maxwell's Duiker
Maxwell's Duiker , is a small antelope found in western Africa.They grow to 30 inches in length with a typical shoulder height of 14.5–16 inches and weigh around 11 pounds . Its coat is either grey-brown or grey, with a white underbelly and white markings on its face...
(Cephalophus maxwellii), and Common Duiker
Common Duiker
The Common Duiker, Sylvicapra grimmia, also known as the Grey or Bush Duiker, is a small antelope with small horns found in west, central, east, and southern Africa- essentially everywhere in Africa south of the Sahara, excluding the horn of Africa and the rainforests of the central and western...
(Sylvicapra grimmia). Reptiles are likewise plentiful, and include the Nile Crocodile
Nile crocodile
The Nile crocodile or Common crocodile is an African crocodile which is common in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Gabon, South Africa, Malawi, Sudan, Botswana, and Cameroon...
(Crocodylus niloticus), snakes, and lizards. The bird life is equally species-rich.
Further reading
- Brewer, Stella. (1981) Die Affenschule: neue Wege d. Wildtierforschung. Moewig, München [i.e. Rastatt]. ISBN 3-8118-3117-8.
- Jahn, Rosel. (1997) Gambia: Reiseführer mit Landeskunde; mit einem Reiseatlas, Mai, Dreieich. ISBN 3-87936-239-4.