Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (, . Together with Queen Elizabeth National Park, Virunga is considered by the IUCN to be a Lion Conservation Unit. Oil exploration threatens the Park, sparking deep concerns from the international community. The Virunga Mountains: 8 Related Volcanoes - Uganda Safaris Nyiragongo are rewarded with a view of the worlds largest lava lake as it churns and bubbles. 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. This sight is at its most impressive at night, so most opt to camp on the rim of the crater. Networking & debating APP subscribers only, TRUSTED CONSERVATION PROJECTS To comment on this story: Download our app here - it's a troll-free safe place . 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The northern sector receives a monthly mean precipitation of up to 220mm (8.7in), and the southern sector of up to 160mm (6.3in). Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Of these, nine gorilla families have been carefully habituated over the last thirty years. Tree heath (Erica arborea), heather and mosses cover humid slopes up to 3,700m (12,100ft) elevation. [47] On several occasions a lava stream reached the shores of Lake Kivu. (RSA) +27 (87) 551-8105 Every family comes with its dynamics, characters and stories, and the rangers have kept track of it all you can, read more about their histories and present breakdown here. app@africageographic.com [50] Virunga National Park is designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site and receives an average of 6,500 visitors per year. 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. Senecio and Lobelia species grow on vast clearings and attain heights of up to 8m (26ft). [26] While the apes may be the stars, the supporting cast of around 19 smaller primate species is deserving of a special mention. The Foundation holds the management contract for the Park, which requires it to restore and manage the national park with ICCN. Virunga National Park is one such park, still tumbling in the currents of war, political instability, poverty, and disease. In the course of increasing tensions, the park's chief warden, Emmanuel de Mrode, was assailed in April 2014. Created in 1925, it has an area of some 3,050 square miles (7,900 square km) and contains a vast diversity of habitats. Mount Mikeno is an extinct volcano located in the Virunga Mountains. / 2.000S 30.000E / -2.000; 30.000. Virunga Mountains - Virunga Volcanoes, Virunga Mountain Ranges 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 word Virunga is got from a local word "Ibirunga* the Kinyarwanda word for "mountains". The Virunga Mountain in Rwanda, Congo and Uganda The Virunga volcanoes /mountains also locally known as Mufumbiro are located in three countries Uganda, Rwanda and DRCongo. 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. [33], In 2005, the European Commission (EC) recommended a public-private partnership between the country's government and the British non-governmental organisation African Conservation Fund. And last, but not least, the heart-stopping, utterly gorgeous and mysterious Shelleys Crimsonwing, which has never been photographed other than when netted during biodiversity surveys. Click here to learn more about the work of the Virunga Alliance. [46] The Virunga Mountains cover three countries of Africa that includes the south Western part of Uganda which covers the Mgahinga National park, the Eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo covering the Virunga National park and the North Western part of Rwanda which covers the Volcanoes National park. [36] Since beginning of the armed conflict, armed groups killed 175 park rangers until April 2018. More than 3,000 faunal and floral species have been recorded, of which more than 300 are endemic to the Albertine Rift including eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and golden monkey (Cercopithecus kandti). The region's glaciers, waterfalls and lakes make it one of Africa's most beautiful alpine areas. At a height of 16,761 feet (5,109 meters), the Rwenzori mountains feature the largest glaciers left on the African continent making this area, populated by glaciers-fed rivers, waterfalls and lakes, one of Africas most beautiful alpine landscapes. The lake lies over 3000 feet (916 meters) above sea level and covers a surface area of 224,083 hectares, making it the 15th largest lake in Africa. The volcanos forested lower slopes are home to a variety of animals, including chimpanzees, monkeys, and bushbuck. Mountain gorillas aside, Virungas great ape collection also includes eastern lowland gorillas (Grauers gorillas Gorilla beringei graueri) and chimpanzees. The first maps resulted from the major expedition of Adolf Friedrich, duke of Mecklenburg, which was undertaken in 190708. 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. Key Information. 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. The range runs east-west, perpendicular to the rift valley in which lie Lakes Kivu and Edward. Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (once critically endangered) mountain gorillas. At 26,338 square kilometres (10,169 sq mi), Rwanda is the world's 149th-largest country. The Rwandan genocide causes nearly two million refugees to flee the country. 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. Virunga Mountains: the virunga mountain ranges mountain As is inevitable, this tableau of human suffering has spilt over into the conservation of the countrys natural resources, and Virunga has found itself in the middle of countless conflicts. [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. There are an estimated 30,000 individuals left in the wild. While many of the gorillas sensibly prefer to reside on the slopes of the dormant Mikeno volcano, the southern section is also the location of the two active volcanoes in the park Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira. Poachers murder four mountain gorillas, making this the first time in 10 years that a mountain gorilla had been poached within Park borders. Most visitors opt to rotate through the different options. Here is a summary of the most important information about the hike that can become one of the most amazing experiences of your life. [26] Park personnel are given paramilitary training and high-quality weaponry, and operate together with the military and state security services. The endangered eastern lowland gorilla, also known as the Grauers gorilla, is a sub-species of the eastern gorilla that resides in the lowland tropical rainforests of eastern Congo. The Parks governance structure is strengthened, and newly appointed staff negotiate access to the gorilla sector despite it being controlled by rebels. 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. For decades, the people of the DRC have struggled through war and instability that has killed millions of people. 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. Andre Bauma is the manager of the Senkwekwe Center and heads up the team of dedicated carers responsible for looking after the Center's orphaned mountain gorillas. Here dedicated keepers have raised the young survivors of anthropogenic cruelty (poaching and snaring), as well as rehabilitating eastern lowland gorillas. 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. Virunga National Park is one of the five UNESCO protected areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICCN. [43], Virunga National Park is located in the Congo Nile watershed area. Two active volcanoes are located in the park, Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira. The main crater of Nyiragongo is about three-quarters of a mile (1.2 km) across and contains a liquid lava pool. From north to south it extends approximately 300km (190mi), largely along the international borders with Uganda and Rwanda in the east. Though there are innumerable reasons to want to visit Virunga National Park, the potential insecurity in the region is of concern to many prospective visitors. However, taking one taxing step at a time has paid off. Tourism remains a cornerstone of the parks conservation efforts, and to that end, all of the lodges within the park are non-profit, with all proceeds fed back into keeping the park protected. 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. This powerful image of the silverback Senkwekwe brought global attention to this horrific event. Of these, nine gorilla families have been carefully habituated over the last thirty years. The range lies between the Lake Kivu and Lake Edward, and is an extension of the Albertine Rift Mountains. 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. During the 2002 eruption, some of Nyiragongos lava flows were clocked at 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) and reached all the way to Lake Kivu. Disorder spreads across the Park's Southern Sector. Rwanda [50], The Semliki River provides habitat for Nile crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus). [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. [5] 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. The endangered Rwenzori duiker or Rwenzori red duiker is a stocky, small antelope endemic to the alpine zones of the Rwenzori mountains. It reopened in February 2019. national park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. When it was first established, Virunga National Park was limited to three volcanoes in the south, but was later expanded northward to include the Rwindi plains, Lake Edward and the Rwenzori Mountains of the Moon. The presence of these volcanoes has shaped the landscape of the park over the years . Virunga has the highest number of amphibian species in the Albertine Rift, an area which encompasses parts of Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, Burundi and Tanzania. The Virunga Mountains (also known as Mufumbiro[1]) are a chain of volcanoes in East Africa, along the northern border of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Uganda. Virunga is the continents most biologically diverse protected area and a national park embarking on an ambitious development programme known as the Virunga Alliance. 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. Virunga National Park - UNESCO World Heritage Centre The central sector is based around Lake Edward, the Ishasha river valley and the Rwindi plains. 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. The six volcanoes of the centre and east are extinct. National park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mammals photographed in Virunga National Park, African bush elephant and African buffaloes, Settlements at the edge of the Nyiragongo crater, Ethnic groups in and around Virunga National Park, Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, China National Offshore Oil Corporation Ltd, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, National Congress for the Defence of the People, Centre National d'Appui au Dveloppement et la Participation populaire, Deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, List of birds of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tourism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, "Virunga National Park Sees Its Worst Violence in a Decade, Director Says", "Twelve rangers killed in latest Virunga Park incident", "COP26: Landmark $500 million agreement launched to protect the DR Congo's forest", "Oil and gas exploration Virunga National Park", "DRC's oil blocks auction: Civil society statement on threats and intimidation of environmental defenders in DR Congo", "Contribution l'histoire jusque 1934 de la cration de l'Institut des parcs nationaux du Congo belge", "Conserving biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of Congo: a brief history, current trends and insights for the future", "The urgency of international intervention for the preservation of the mountain gorilla", "Beyond Contesting Limits: Land, Access, and Resistance at the Virunga National Park", "Sustainable development at natural World Heritage sites in Africa", "Engaging World Heritage to drive sustainable development in Africa: next steps", "Conserving forest biodiversity in times of violent conflict", "Transboundary collaboration in the Greater Virunga Landscape: From gorilla conservation to conflict-sensitive transboundary landscape management", "The counterinsurgency/conservation nexus: guerrilla livelihoods and the dynamics of conflict and violence in the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo", "Militarised Conservation Threatens DRC's Indigenous People Part 1", "Six Virunga park rangers killed in DRC wildlife sanctuary", "In memoriam: deadliest attack on Virunga staff in Park's recent history brings total ranger deaths to 175", "Congo's Virunga park reopens eight months after deadly ambush", "Rangers killed in "deadliest" DR Congo park attack", "Six park rangers killed in DR Congo's Virunga gorilla reserve", "Six Virunga park rangers killed in eastern Congo ambush", "Italian ambassador to DR Congo killed in UN convoy attack", "On the germination of seeds in the dung balls of the African elephant in the Virunga National Park", "Behavioural adaptations to water scarcity in Tongo chimpanzees", Greater Virunga Landscape Large Mammal Surveys, 2010, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, Kigezi Wildlife Reserve-General Management Plan (2011 - 2021), Aerial surveys of the Greater Virunga Landscape - Technical Report 2014, "L'apparition des crocodiles au lac ex-Edouard, Parc National des Virunga, Zare", "The Details of the Basongoro of Rwenzori and their Culture in Uganda", "Netflix's "Virunga" uncovers Congo's fight to protect resources", "Ndakasi, Beloved Mountain Gorilla of Photobomb Fame, dies", "Important Bird Areas factsheet: Virunga National Park", "Interview With Emmanuel de Merode, Director of Virunga National Park National Geographic Blog", "Inside the Fight to Save a Dangerous Park", National Parks of the Democratic Republic of Congo, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virunga_National_Park&oldid=1147211296, National parks of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ramsar sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, World Heritage Sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nature conservation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 14:08. Description of the Virunga Mountains Virunga Mountain Hiking The Virunga Mountains in Volcanoes Park. Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. HOW TO GET THE MOST OUT OF AFRICA GEOGRAPHIC: We're the Africa Geographic editorial team a diverse set of writers, editors, designers and social media natives, all united by our passion for this addictive continent. These ranges consist of eight major volcanoes in Uganda, Congo with five of them located in Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park. Virunga National Park is home to around a third of those gorillas, which reside in the dense forests on the lush slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. 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 ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature). Every family comes with its dynamics, characters and stories, and the rangers have kept track of it all you can read more about their histories and present breakdown here. [12] Local and global groups, such as Greenpeace, are warning about the social and ecological impact of devastating the forest for oil production. Shoebills are tall, stork-like birds with wing spans that can reach over 8 feet (2.4 meters). 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. 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. [2] It covers an area of 8,090km2 (3,120sqmi). 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. The largest herd of elephants over 500 - since the 1980's are observed in the Ishasha corridor of Virunga. 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. 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). The okapi is the closest known relative to the giraffe and looks very much as though someone crossed a zebra, antelope, and giraffe. Only one mountain of the 8 is an active volcano that is Mount Nyiragongo found in DRCongo. Adult African fish eagles have mostly brown bodies with a white head and yellow face and large, powerful, black wings. Described by the Virunga park authorities as the Congos real treasure (rather than oil or metals), there are believed to be over 300 of these precious primates within the park. Communities, such as the Mbuti, which previously relied on the lands included in the park for food and shelter have been forced out, or risk being arrested or killed by armed park rangers. 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. 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. [48], The montane forest between 1,800 and 2,800m (5,900 and 9,200ft) in the southern sector is dominated by Ficalhoa laurifolia and Podocarpus milanjianus with up to 25m (82ft) high trees. Mountain gorillas (, ) are a subspecies of the critically endangered eastern gorilla, and there are believed to be just over 1,000 remaining. Following the Rwandan genocide, thousands of refugees fled to the Kivu region, and the presence of military increased. Still, military and rebel forces remain in eastern Congo and continue fighting as well as poaching and cutting down trees. There are four recognised subspecies of the African buffalo in Africa and two of these the Cape and forest are found in Virunga. [14][15][16][17] Indigenous people lost their traditional land rights in this process, and were evicted from the protected area. 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. The most visited section is the southern sector, dominated by dense montane forests home to a vital population of Africas remaining mountain gorillas. The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo, which rises 3,634 metres (11,923ft) above sea level.
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