West Lunga National Park
Encyclopedia
West Lunga National Park is a remote wildlife haven in dense forest in the North-Western Province
of Zambia
. It lies between the West Lunga River and Kabompo River
about 10 km north of the gravel road from Solwezi
to Kabompo
, and covers about 1700 km².
The national park is the only one in Zambia covered by forest, categorised in the small Cryptosepalum dry forests ecoregion, which exists only in a few patches in the south west of the province extending a little over the border into Angola. Cryptosepalum
trees (called "mukwe" locally) are evergreen and grow densely with a closed canopy. The ecoregion forms the largest evergreen forest in Africa outside of the equatorial zone. Although the rainfall in the area is quite high (above 1,000 mm per year) the soils are sandy and well drained so apart from the rivers there is a lack of surface water. A few patches of Miombo
woodland and grassland also exist in the park.
The park lacks management, facilities, and roads. There is no accommodation and no towns nearby, visitors must be completely self-sufficient. (The Zambia Tourism website does not even mention the park.) It is reached by a dirt track from the main road to the park gate and base at Jivundu in its south-west. The lack of water and thickness of the forest has kept the human population low in the region, and despite some poaching and the absence of protection, the forest is believed to be still fairly rich in wildlife. Smaller forest mammals such as duiker
and bushpig
s live there, and recent reports also mention puku
, hippopotami, Nile crocodiles, vervet monkeys, and yellow baboons. The game guards say there are buffalo
, roan antelope
s, sable antelope
s, Lichtenstein's hartebeest
s, impalas, elands
, and elephants
.
As of September 2008, African Parks Network
(also known as African Parks Foundation or African Parks Conservation) from The Netherlands concluded an agreement for the management of West Lunga National Park.
North-Western Province, Zambia
North-Western Province is one of Zambia's nine provinces. It covers an area of 125,826 km² and has a population of 583,350 . It is the most sparsely populated province in the country...
of Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. It lies between the West Lunga River and Kabompo River
Kabompo River
The Kabompo River is one of the main tributaries of the upper Zambezi River river. It flows entirely in Zambia, rising to the east of the source of the Zambezi, in North-Western Province along the watershed between the Zambezi and Congo river basins which also forms the border between Zambia and DR...
about 10 km north of the gravel road from Solwezi
Solwezi
Solwezi is the capital of the North Western Province of Zambia. Solwezi has approximately 65,000 inhabitants at an elevation of 1235 m above sea level...
to Kabompo
Kabompo
Kabompo is a town in north-western of Zambia, lying on the Kabompo River with a population over 88,000 people and the M8 road. It is surrounded by teak forest and is home to a Roman Catholic mission....
, and covers about 1700 km².
The national park is the only one in Zambia covered by forest, categorised in the small Cryptosepalum dry forests ecoregion, which exists only in a few patches in the south west of the province extending a little over the border into Angola. Cryptosepalum
Cryptosepalum
Cryptosepalum is a genus of legume in the Fabaceae family.It contains the following species:* Cryptosepalum diphyllum* Cryptosepalum tetraphyllum...
trees (called "mukwe" locally) are evergreen and grow densely with a closed canopy. The ecoregion forms the largest evergreen forest in Africa outside of the equatorial zone. Although the rainfall in the area is quite high (above 1,000 mm per year) the soils are sandy and well drained so apart from the rivers there is a lack of surface water. A few patches of Miombo
Miombo
Miombo is the Swahili word for Brachystegia, a genus of tree comprising a large number of species. Miombo woodland is classified in the tropical and subtropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands biome...
woodland and grassland also exist in the park.
The park lacks management, facilities, and roads. There is no accommodation and no towns nearby, visitors must be completely self-sufficient. (The Zambia Tourism website does not even mention the park.) It is reached by a dirt track from the main road to the park gate and base at Jivundu in its south-west. The lack of water and thickness of the forest has kept the human population low in the region, and despite some poaching and the absence of protection, the forest is believed to be still fairly rich in wildlife. Smaller forest mammals such as duiker
Duiker
A duiker is any of about 21 small to medium-sized antelope species from the subfamily Cephalophinae native to Sub-Saharan Africa.Duikers are shy and elusive creatures with a fondness for dense cover; most are forest dwellers and even the species living in more open areas are quick to disappear...
and bushpig
Bushpig
The bushpig, Potamochoerus larvatus, is a member of the pig family and lives in forests, woodland, riverine vegetation and reedbeds in East and Southern Africa. Probably introduced populations are also present in Madagascar and the Comoros archipelago. Bushpigs are mainly nocturnal. There are...
s live there, and recent reports also mention puku
Puku
The Puku is an antelope found in wet grasslands in southern Democratic Republic of Congo, in Namibia and in Zambia.Puku stand about 80 centimetres at the shoulder and weigh from 70 to 80 kilograms. Puku are sandy brown in colour, the underbelly is a slightly lighter brown...
, hippopotami, Nile crocodiles, vervet monkeys, and yellow baboons. The game guards say there are buffalo
African Buffalo
The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear...
, roan antelope
Roan Antelope
The Roan Antelope is a savanna antelope found in West, Central, East Africa and Southern Africa.Roan Antelope stand about a metre and half at the shoulder and weigh around 250 kilograms. Named for the "roan' colour , they have a lighter underbelly, white eyebrows and cheeks and a black face,...
s, sable antelope
Sable Antelope
The Sable Antelope is an antelope which inhabits wooded savannah in East Africa south of Kenya, and in Southern Africa.-Subspecies:There are four subspecies:* H. n. niger which is considered low risk conservation dependent...
s, Lichtenstein's hartebeest
Lichtenstein's Hartebeest
Lichtenstein's Hartebeest is a savannah and floodplain dwelling antelope found in southern Central Africa. By some this species is classified as Sigmoceros lichtensteinii....
s, impalas, elands
Common Eland
The common eland , also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. It is the largest antelope in the African continent...
, and elephants
African Bush Elephant
The African Bush Elephant or African Savanna Elephant is the larger of the two species of African elephant. Both it and the African Forest Elephant have usually been classified as a single species, known simply as the African Elephant...
.
As of September 2008, African Parks Network
African Parks Network
The African Parks Network, is a not-for-profit company that takes on total responsibility for the rehabilitation and long-term management of national parks and other protected areas, in public-private partnerships with African Governments. The approach combines world-class conservation practices...
(also known as African Parks Foundation or African Parks Conservation) from The Netherlands concluded an agreement for the management of West Lunga National Park.