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. In the course of increasing tensions, the park's chief warden, Emmanuel de Mrode, was assailed in April 2014. It is Virunga National Park in DRC, and it is remarkable. Following the Rwandan genocide, thousands of refugees fled to the Kivu region, and the presence of military increased. 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. The southern sector stretches to the shores of Lake Kivu and encompasses Nyamulagira, Nyiragongo and Mikeno volcanoes with montane forests on their slopes. It is an extraordinary park steeped in a history of tragedy and heroism: primordial and viscerally wild. To the northeast the Ruwenzori Range soars to more than 16,000 feet (4,880 metres). Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (, . Hippopotamuses, rare mountain gorillas, okapis, antelope, warthogs, and pelicans all live in Virunga as well. 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. Goma, the capital city of the province on the northern shores of Lake Kivu is 35 km (1-hour drive) away from Rumangabo, the park headquarters located in the southern sector of Kibumba. They eat mostly fruit, but also feed on buds, shoots, leaves, flowers, and insects. 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. Flora/Vegatation in Virunga national park; Virunga's strategic location at the frontier between various biogeographic zones offers it an upper hand to protect both tropical rainforest and eastern steppe species and its range of altitudes adds to the habitat variety.The diversity in flora includes: bamboo and Hagenia forest on the mountains; equatorial forest along the Semiliki; wooded . Ultra-luxury is not the order of the day in Virunga, but there are high-end accommodation options, and all the camps are comfortable. Nyamuragira is a high-potassium basaltic shield volcano with an elevation of 10,033 feet (3,058 meters). This powerful image of the silverback Senkwekwe brought global attention to this horrific event. [45][54], Virunga National Park together with the adjacent Queen Elizabeth National Park forms a "Lion Conservation Unit". Virunga is an English derived word from its origin word "ibirunga" (comes . Also known as: Birunga Mountains, Mufumbiro Mountains. 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. Oil exploration by an English company only added to threats facing the already beleaguered park. The First and Second Congo Wars further destabilised the region. The Virunga Mountains lie between Lakes Kivu and Edward and extend into Rwanda and Uganda. Virunga is the continent's most biologically diverse protected area and a national park embarking on an ambitious development programme known as the "Virunga Alliance". Poachers murder four mountain gorillas, making this the first time in 10 years that a mountain gorilla had been poached within Park borders. Getting to the summit of these mountains takes an average of 5 . Established 1991, BEST SAFARI PRICES The mountain gorilla is taken off the IUCN critically endangered species list, marking a victory for Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan National Parks. With a checklist of 706 different species, there are more birds in Virunga than in the entire United States of America. Dch trong bi cnh "VN QUC GIA CONGO" trong ting vit-ting anh. The word Virunga is and English word derived from Kinyarwanda word "Ibirunga" to meat "Mountains" Nyiragongo has erupted over thirty times since the end of the 19th century. Some of the Ruwenzori Mountains are permanently snow-capped, and glaciers exist at high elevations. Hippos, which can weigh up to 4,400 pounds (almost 2,000 kilograms), make their home in many different rivers, lakes, and pools throughout Virunga. The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo, which rises 3,634 metres (11,923ft) above sea level. This picturesque part of the park adjoins the Rwenzori Mountains and Semuliki National Parks in neighbouring Uganda. [61][62] Ndakasi, a gorilla from the park, was featured in a few television series and movies, including the Netflix documentary.[63]. Safaris, discussions & donations that make a real difference in Africa. Tullow Oil Plc, TotalEnergies, ENI and China National Offshore Oil Corporation Ltd (CNOOC) were interested in acquiring drilling permissions. 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. 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. Seven mountain gorillas from the Rugendo family are murdered. Shoebills can be found in the swamps and marshes of Virungas Central Sector near Lake Edward, the Ishasha River, and the Rwindi River. 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. Hippo numbers increase to over 2000 for the first time in 20 years. This may also be done to protect the highly susceptible apes from human diseases like Covid-19. There are a couple of different lodges scattered throughout the park, and the choice of activity (gorilla treks, Lava treks up Nyiragongo, game drives and so on) will determine the best place to stay. [32] In 1994, Virunga National Park was entered into the List of World Heritage in Danger. It is founded primarily to protect the mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Massif. Most visitors access the park via Rwanda and pass through the border at Goma. and wallow in the various rivers, and bongo antelope have been spotted in the parks northern reaches. 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 was founded in 1925 as Albert National Park. However, another creature is arguably Virungas (and Africas) most peculiar offering. At 26,338 square kilometres (10,169 sq mi), Rwanda is the world's 149th-largest country. [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. [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. 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. 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. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. 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). The orphanage is named for a silverback killed in a devastating poaching incident in 2007 that claimed the lives of seven members of the Rugendo family. Today, they are probably the parks most famous residents. 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. Here is a summary of the most important information about the hike that can become one of the most amazing experiences of your life. [16][18] Between the late 1930s and 1955, an estimated 85,000 Rwandophone people were moved to nearby Masisi in North Kivu. 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). In altitude, this sector ranges from 680m (2,230ft) in the Puemba River valley to the highest peak of Mount Stanley at 5,109m (16,762ft) within 30km (19mi). Alongside this essential conservation work, the Park is committed to supporting local communities. Mountain gorillas aside, Virungas great ape collection also includes eastern lowland gorillas (Grauers gorillas Gorilla beringei graueri) and chimpanzees. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. This sight is at its most impressive at night, so most opt to camp on the rim of the crater. Several were observed at the northern shore of Lake Edwards in 1988 for the first time. Lake Edward is a vital resource for local fishermen. The vegetation above 2,600m (8,500ft) is subalpine with foremost African redwood (Hagenia abyssinica) growing up to 3,000m (9,800ft). The endangered Rwenzori duiker or Rwenzori red duiker is a stocky, small antelope endemic to the alpine zones of the Rwenzori mountains. The connection between man and gorilla can be further explored at the Senkwekwe Centre, the only mountain gorilla orphanage in the world. 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. However, extraordinary doesnt even begin to cover it. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Each offers a different view of the lush vegetation and exquisite vistas. In addition to buffalo, the plains support several ungulates, including topi, Ugandan kob, waterbuck, warthog, and red river and giant forest hog. 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. 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). 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. 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). [15], Virunga National Park's faunal species include 196 mammals, 706 bird species, 109 reptiles and 65 amphibians as of 2012. This savannah-like section offers the best chance to spot the more traditional safari animals, including elephant, lion, and buffalo. Still, military and rebel forces remain in eastern Congo and continue fighting as well as poaching and cutting down trees. In elevation, it ranges from 680m (2,230ft) in the Semliki River valley to 5,109m (16,762ft) in the Rwenzori Mountains. 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. [47] Individual volcanoes bear Rwandan descriptive names, such as Sabinio (Sabinyo; Old Man with Large Teeth) and Muhavura (Landmark, or Guide). It includes a lush landscape that ranges from the Semliki River Valley to the Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Nyiragongo, and Nyamuragira. The name Virunga (Volcanoes), probably of Swahili derivation, has prevailed over the earlier Mufumbiro (That Which Cooks), which is still used in Uganda. While the apes may be the stars, the supporting cast of around 19 smaller primate species is deserving of a special mention. The Virunga Mountains is located in the East Africa with a chain of volcanoes that are within the borders of the countries Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Rwanda.The mountain range is said to be a part of the Albertine Rift located in the Great Rift Valley. 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. [5] The mountains are part of the Albertine rift located at the Great Rift Valley one of the world's largest natural features. [40] Again in January 2021, armed men killed at least six rangers and wounded several others in an ambush in the national park. Mean monthly rainfall in the savanna around Lake Edward is 3040mm (1.21.6in); this is the driest part of the landscape. 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. 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. These, in turn, keep the lions of the park suitably satiated. La Fondation Virunga Belgique was incorporated in 2015 to support Virunga National Park through fundraising and public outreach. 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. Though Virunga is accessible year-round (if open to visitors), the best time to visit is during the drier months, from June until September or December until February. 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. 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. March to mid May and September to November are the main rainy seasons. The northern sector is characterised by the dramatic Rwenzori Mountains, with sharp peaks and plunging valleys that descend to the Semuliki River valley. Sabyinyo volcano, located on the border of Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo in the Virunga Mountains, is simply incredible!