The Virunga National Park (Parc National des Virunga) is the
mother of all game parks in Africa as it was the continent’s first national
park. It was established in 1925 and designated a UNESCO world heritage site in
1979. It is situated in eastern Congo and borders other major national parks
like Queen Elizabeth national park and Mt. Rwenzori national park in Uganda and
the Volcanoes national park in Rwanda.
The park covers an area of 7,800 square
kilometers spanning from the Virunga Mountains in the south to the Rwenzori
ranges in the north. This area can also be referred to as the Virunga Massif.
Formerly known as the Albert national park, this reserve is
managed by the Congolese National park authorities together with the Virunga
Foundation. The park is unparalleled in eco-systems and bio-diversity. It has
beguiling landscapes of lush tropical forests, alpine forests, lava flows,
savanna, marshlands and glaciers. It shelters extra bird, mammal and reptile
species as compared to other conservation territories on this soft spoken
continent. The park is renowned for being one of the remaining natural habitats
for the world’s critically endangered mountain gorillas. Hence the Democratic
Republic of Congo, Uganda and Rwanda stand as the only nations where gorilla trekking safaris in Africa can
be done.
One can also not only track gorillas in Congo but also enjoy game
drive while in the Virunga National Park. The park is home to both savanna and
tropical forests, including forest elephants, chimpanzees, buffaloes, giraffes
and the unique okapis. This wide range of fauna makes wildlife safaris to Congo
among the most authentic trips one should have. Virunga is also home to several
endemic birds making it a paradise for bird enthusiasts searching for
interesting photographic and birding tours in Congo.
Virunga National park was created and initially named after
King Albert I of Belgium with anterior motive to protect the mountain gorillas
that were thriving in the area. The park has faced numerous setbacks that range
from poaching and civil unrest that depleted Virunga’s wildlife populations
including the rangers. Its toughest test yet raised when 80% of the Virunga
land was reportedly allocated for oil exploration. This ignited global
condemnation and campaigns that yielded victory in 2014 when major exploration
firm SOCO disbanded its operations in the area but the fight is far from over.
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