Katavi National Park

Katavi National Park
The Katavi National Park from the air
location	Tanzania ( Katavi Region , Mpanda District)
surface	4471 km²
WDPA ID	921
Geographical location	6 ° 55 ′  S , 31 ° 20 ′  E Coordinates: 6 ° 55 ′ 0 ″  S , 31 ° 20 ′ 0 ″  E
Setup date	1974
administration	TANAPA (Tanzanian National Park Administration)

The Katavi National Park is a national park in western Tanzania . Its varied landscape is characterized by wide swamps and grassy areas, dense forest, shrubland, lakes and rivers. Many different animals live here, especially mammals and water birds. The national park, which has existed since 1974, was expanded to its present size in 1996.

Location and accessibility

It is located east of Lake Tanganyika in the Mpanda region, at 6 ° 63 'to 7 ° 34' south latitude and 30 ° 74 'to 31 ° 84' east longitude. The Katavi National Park is 820 to 1560 m above sea level; the average altitude is around 900 m. With 4471 km² it is the third largest national park in Tanzania . Major towns nearby are Tabora , Kigoma and Mbeya . The headquarters of the park is in Sitalike, 40 km south of Mpanda .

There are runways at Sitalike, Ikuu and Mlele . Regular flights from Dar es Salaam to Tabora and Kigoma are operated by Precision Air . Charter flights can depart from Arusha, Dar es Salaam or other cities.

Tanzania Central Railways trains also run regularly from Dar es Salaam to Tabora . There is a train connection to Mpanda from Tabora. The train journey from Dar es Salaam to Mpanda takes two days. Via TAZARA you can get from Dar es Salaam to Mbeya by bus or train.

From Dar es Salaam there is the possibility to use the road to Mbeya. This distance can be covered in one day. From there you drive towards Sumbawanga and Sitalike. This safari can be done in two or three days. A more adventurous route leads from Arusha via Babati , Singida and Nzega to Tabora. Once there, you can drive to Sitalike via Mpanda or Inyonga and Mlele. From Kigoma you can get to Katavi National Park via Uvinza and Mpanda.

Movement within the national park and accommodation

At TANAPA, the Tanzanian National Park Administration, you can rent a four-wheel drive car with a driver for US $ 100 per day. If you drive yourself, you can get a map at the headquarters. Walking safaris with an armed guard can be arranged.

There is a guest house and campsites within the Katavi National Park. You can also spend the night in various camps in the national park, for example in the Katuma Bush Lodge in the middle of the park, in the also centrally located Chada Katavi Camp , in the Palahala Camp on the Kapapa River, in a camp of Foxes African Safaris or in a camp from Flycatcher Safaris .

climate

Annual precipitation is around 900 mm (long-term average). The drier months are May to October and mid-December to February. Most rain falls between March and May; the rainy season lasts from November to April. In the dry season the temperature is 15 ° C at night and 35 ° C during the day. However, it can also reach temperatures of up to 40 ° C.

topography

Most of the Katavi National Park lies within the Rukwa Basin, which is part of the Central African Rift . This 360 km long and 40 to 60 km wide tectonic basin lies parallel to the Tanganyika Valley. At its southern end is the Rukwasee . The landscape of the Katavi National Park can be divided into the flat to slightly wavy valley floor covered by forest, wide alluvial plains, seasonal lakes and rivers at 820 to 960 m above sea level and the elevations on both sides: in the west Llyamba lya Mfipa with up to 1560 m high mountains and steep slopes, in the east the Mlele layer, which resembles a steep rock face that is indented through year-round water or seasonal streams with many waterfalls such as Chorangwa, Lukima and Ndido. In the Kapapa area in the northeastern part of the Katavi National Park, the stratification level is broken. This is where the forest-covered island mountains Igongwe, Kapimbye and Kapapa are located. In the southeast, the Mlele layer is less steep and high because it is divided into the Lukima and Rukwa areas.

Waters

Swamp landscape in the Katavi National Park

The Katavi National Park is characterized by huge swamps, lakes and rivers. When it comes to waterfalls, Ndido, Chorangwa, Lukima and Iloba are worth mentioning. All rivers - apart from the seasonal Nkamba in the northwest, which flows into Lake Tanganyika to the west - flow into Lake Rukwa. In the north of the park is the Katavi lake, in the middle the palm-fringed Lake Chada. These two lakes are swampy in the rainy season, but dry out in the dry season. They belong to the alluvial plains of the Katuma River. During the dry season, this forms a shallow, dirty trickle, the only source of drinking water in a wide area. It feeds the Katavi and Chada lakes and the 425 km² Katisunga flood plain. In recent years, like the Kapapa and Ngolima rivers, which also supply water to Lake Chada, it has tended to dry up earlier due to illegal dam construction upstream outside the Katavi National Park. Since only small mud puddles remain in the river bed, this represents a threat to the entire ecosystem. The Katuma River can be described as the "lifeline" of the Katavi National Park.

vegetation

View from one of the rivers

Vast, open grass savannahs and dense miombo - dry forest , which is characterized by the carob family , mimosa family , butterfly family and wing seed family , form the varied vegetation of the Katavi National Park in addition to shrubland, marshland and gallery forest . There is a great variety of grasses, herbs, flowers, many of which bloom during the rainy season, shrubs and trees; for example, 226 different tree species were recorded. The forest floor is sparsely overgrown with grass; different types of long filaments , brachystegia and acacias as well as Diplorhynchus condylocarpon dominate. In Nsakasa growing Palmyra palm forest . In the flat, seasonally flooded areas, for example the Katavi Lake, the Katisunga Plain, the Chada Lake and the Mpunga Plain, the vegetation is mainly formed by grasses and herbs; the few bushes and trees are mostly found on termite mounds . Adjacent to this there is a transition zone in which species grow that tolerate seasonal flooding or a high groundwater level, for example the Ana trees along Lake Katavi. Large trees are rare where the ground is sandy. The higher-lying areas on the remote foothills are mainly covered by mixed forest; the forest only consists of the typical Miombo species above an altitude of 900 m.

Miombowald the mountain peaks
The vegetation on the over 1500 m high mountains is dominated by Julbernardia globiflora , followed by sour grass plants that wild animals do not like, such as Fimbristylis dichotoma , Fuirena bachyrriza , Fuirena umbellata and Cyperus pulchellus .

Miombo mixed forest
This type of miombo occurs in higher-lying areas with permeable, acidic red soils, for example Mlele, the slopes of Kasege and Ufipa, the Mlele and Kasege plateaus, Kaselami, the Kapimbye and Igongwe hills, the Malimba highlands as well as the Chansima and Isote hills. Important species are Brachystegia spiciformis , Brachystegia boehmii , Brachystegia taxifolia , Brachystegia angustistipulata , Brachystegia longifolia , Brachystegia glaberrima , Julbernardia globin flora , Isoberlinia angolensis , African Blackwood , Lonchocarpus capassa , Marula tree , Combretum collinum , Combretum psidioides , zeyheri Combretum , Terminalia kaiserana , Schirmakazie , Acacia sieberiana , Acacia polyacantha , tamarind tree , Sterculia quinqueloba , Commiphora africana , Cassia abbreviata , Afzelia quanzensis , Pterocarpus mohair , Vangueria madagascariensis , Strychnos madagascariensis , Bobgunnia madagascariensis , sausage tree , faidherbia albida , Ethiopian Palmyrapalme , Diplorhynchus condylocarpon , Hyphaene compressa and Thespesia garckeana ; the grasses are Aristida kelleri , Brachiaria brizantha , Digitaria brazzae , Eragrostis patens , Melinis repens , Sporobolus sanguineus , Themeda triandra , Chloris virgata and Cyperus involucratus . Themeda triandra , Pennisetum polystachion , Chloris gayana , Dactyloctenium aegyptium , Digitaria brazzae and Panicum repens grow in the shade of the varied forest .

Gallery forest in the transition zone to the Miombowald (foothills)
This mixed forest is interspersed with grassy plains and hills. Some grass areas have no drain, so that water collects there from time to time. The forest is of Terminalia kaiserana , acacia , Sterculia quinqueloba , condylocarpon Diplorhynchus , Dichrostachys cinerea and Marula tree dominates, followed by Combretum psidioides , Combretum collinum , Isoberlinia angolensis , Pterocarpus angolensis , Afzelia quanzensis , Lonchocarpus capassa , Strychnos cocculoides , Diospyros fischeri , Sausage Tree , Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia , Combretum molle , Markhamia obtusifolia , Commiphora africana , Ziziphus mucronata , African Blackwood , Baphia massaiensis , Grewia bicolor , Grewia platyclada , sycamore fig , Bobgunnia madagascariensis , Combretum zeyheri , Thespesia garckeana , Ethiopian Palmyrapalme , Acacia polyacantha , Khaya anthotheca and Hyphaene compressa . The grassy areas are mainly formed by Hyparrhenia diplandra , Themeda triandra , Oryza longistaminata , Eragrostis setulifera and Echinochloa pyramidalis .

Mixed forest with scattered grassy areas (Dambos)
This type of vegetation is a mosaic of woodland and small grassy areas on which water occasionally collects when there is no drain. In Zambia , these grassy areas within the forest are called "Dambos". The trees surrounding the dambos reach a height of 15 m and sometimes form a canopy. In woodland prevail Terminalia kaiserana , acacia, Sterculia quinqueloba , condylocarpon Diplorhynchus , Dichrostachys cinerea and Marula tree in front, followed by Combretum psidioides , Combretum collinum , Isoberlinia angolensis , Pterocarpus angolensis , Afzelia quanzensis , Baobab Tree , Lonchocarpus capassa , Strychnos cocculoides , Diospyros fischeri , sausage tree , Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia , Combretum molle , Markhamia obtusifolia , Commiphora africana , Ziziphus mucronata , African Blackwood , Baphia massaiensis , Grewia bicolor , Grewia platyclada , sycamore fig , Bobgunnia madagascariensis , Combretum zeyheri , Thespesia garckeana , Ethiopian Palmyrapalme and Hyphaene compressa . Hyparrhenia diplandra , Themeda triandra , Oryza longistaminata , Eragrostis setulifera and Echinochloa pyramidalis dominate grasses .

Thickets
The occasionally occurring thickets are characterized by seasonal climbing plants and a few tree species, such as African Blackwood , Dombeya cincinata , Ximenia caffra , Friesodielsia obovata , buchananii Monanthotaxis , Karandapflaume , Markhamia zanzibarica , Lannea schimperi , Strychnos cocculoides , Diospyros fischeri , Baphia massaiensis , Pseudolachnostylis maprouneifolia , Combretum molle , Grewia bicolor , Canthium lactescens and Commiphora africana . They grow in some parts of the Ilyandi sand ridge and at Kanyamkaa, Igongwe, Ikuu, Mlele, Ngolima, Kapapa and Kawale.

Shrubland with isolated trees
This type of vegetation can be found near Magogo, Chada and Katavi lakes. Large trees, such as the African baobab or Delonix elata , more rarely Lonchocarpus capassa , Terminalia kaiserana , Combretum erythrophyllum , Diospyros fischeri and Euphorbia ingens , are found above all towards Lake Rukwa. Close to flood plains, Dichrostachys cinerea can also dominate the varied shrub layer.

Gallery forest
along the banks of the rivers Suguru, Msaginia, Yeye, Wugu, Kapapa, Katuma, Rungwa and Lukima growing gallery and swamp forest. Remains of damp montan gallery forest can be found mainly on the Ufipa and Mlele embankments. In these steep, narrow valleys, the river vegetation resembles forest. The gallery forest consists of trees up to 25 m high, the crowns of which touch and are sometimes interwoven with lianas. The canopy they form is not very dense, as it only consists of one layer. Epiphytes such as orchids and ferns can be seen. Some trees are evergreen . Where light penetrates the forest floor, it is covered with herbs and shrubs. The gallery forest consists mainly of sycamore fig , Ficus lutea , Ficus glumosa , Newtonia buchananii , Albizia gummifera , Anthocleista grandiflora , Olyra latifolia , Keetia gueinzii , raffia farinifera , Parinari excelsa , Syzygium cordatum , Brachystegia taxifolia , Mimusops zeyheri , Baphia capparidifolia , Oncoba spinosa , Acacia sieberiana , Acacia polyacantha , Khaya anthotheca , Rauvolfia caffra , Winged Senna , Ethiopian Palmyra palm and Gardenia imperialis together.

Mixed forest
Almost three quarters of the protected area is covered by this type of vegetation. The tree layer is dense to open. Individual trees reach a height of 25 m and a chest height diameter of more than 80 cm. These forests are semi-evergreen to deciduous. Compared to the mixed forest with scattered grass areas, the trees are taller and have thicker trunks. The woodland can be dominated by the marula tree , umbrella acacia, Ethiopian palmyra palm , Sterculia quinqueloba or Dichrostachys cinerea . Occasional evergreen shrubs are present, but are not noticeable. On the Ilyandi sand ridge and the Rukwa highlands there are perennial and annual grasses and herbs that grow in tufts and rarely exceed a meter in height. In the mixed forest come Isoberlinia angolensis , African Blackwood , Lonchocarpus capassa , Marula tree, Pterocarpus angolensis , Combretum collinum , Combretum psidioides , zeyheri Combretum , Terminalia kaiserana , acacia, Acacia sieberiana , Acacia polyacantha , tamarind tree , Sterculia quinqueloba , Commiphora africana , Cassia abbreviata , Afzelia quanzensis , liver sausage tree , anabaum , Ethiopian palmyra palm , Hyphaene compressa , Thespesia garckeana , Diplorhynchus condylocarpon , Vangueria madagascariensis , Strychnos madagascariensis , Bobgunnia madagascariensis and Ziziphus mucronata vor.

River forest
This woodland occurs along the rivers in the protected areas, particularly along the Katuma River in Katavi National Park. It is characterized by trees, shrubs and lianas. The main species are Ficus glumosa , Terminalia kaiserana , Sterculia quinqueloba , Ethiopian Palmyrapalme , Hyphaene compressa , sycamore fig , Khaya anthotheca , Cordia goetzei , Cordia sinensis , Sclerocarya birrea ssp. caffra , Annona senegalensis , Acacia polyacantha ssp. campylacantha , Anabaum and Mimosa pigra .

Flood plains
The wide flood plains with their nutrient-rich alluvial soil are the most fertile areas. Due to the seasonal flooding and frequent fires, an independent type of vegetation developed here. The vegetation consists mainly of perennial grasses and herbs. Evergreen or deciduous trees and shrubs, standing in groups or individually, cover less than 5% of the area. They are by Combretum erythrophyllum , acacia, faidherbia albida , tamarind tree , Grewia platyclada , Voacanga africana , Acacia polyacantha , Acacia sieberiana , Sausage Tree , Terminalia kaiserana , Erythrina abyssinica , Dichrostachys cinerea , Ethiopian Palmyrapalme and Hyphaene compressa represented. Echinochloa pyramidalis (for example in the Katisunga plain), Sporobolus fimbriatus (for example on Lake Chada), Echinochloa crus-pavonis , Pennisetum polystachion , Themeda triandra , Hyparrhenia hirta and Oryza longistaminata are found among grasses . This type of vegetation can be seen on the Ngolima, Kawale, Kapirula, Katisunga, Mpunga, Nsakasa, Chada and Katavi plains.

Seasonal Lakes
Katavi National Park includes two seasonal lakes, Katavi and Chada Lakes. Trees and bushes are present here, but grasses dominate, such as Hyparrhenia hirta , Echinochloa pyramidalis , Echinochloa crus-pavonis , Sporobolus fimbriatus , Sporobolus pyramidalis , Themeda triandra , Heteropogon contortus , Digitaria ternata and Pennisetum polystachion .

Transitional zone between lakes or flood plains and woodland
This grassy landscape is interrupted by individual trees, for example ana tree, Acacia sieberiana , Ethiopian palmyra palm , liver sausage tree or Voacanga africana in the area between Lake Katavi and the Ilyandi sand ridge. It can be found by Lake Katavi and Lake Chada. In which up to 30 cm tall grass layer reign Sporobolus fimbriatus , Echinochloa pyramidalis , Tribulus and Polygonum salsifolium ago. There are also termite mounds along the Katisunga flood plain.

Swamps
There are permanent swamps or seasonal swampy grasslands around Ngolima, the Ikuu springs and in places near the river. This has an herbaceous growth formed by grasses, rushes , sedge grasses and aquatic plants . The most important are Cyperus papyrus , Phragmites mauritianus , Leersia hexandra , napier grass , Echinochloa crus-pavonis , Echinochloa pyramidalis , Sporobolus fimbriatus , Typha domingensis , water lettuce , Nymphaea caerulea , Aeschynomene cristata , Neonotonia wightii , Kotschya capitulifera , Cyperus dives , Fuirena umbellata , Cyperus articulatus , Cyperus involucratus and Mimosa pigra . These areas can range from open woodlands of acacia, Acacia sieberiana , Sausage Tree , Hyphaene compressa , Ethiopian Palmyrapalme , Voacanga africana , faidherbia albida , Grewia platyclada , Acacia polycantha and Afzelia quanzensis be surrounded.

Delta at Rukwa Lake
in the Game Reserves Rukwa and Lukwati lead the rivers Kavuu, Rungwa and Yeye in the Rukwa Lake. There the vegetation consists of grasses, herbs and lianas, for example Mimosa pigra , Phragmites mauritianus , Typha domingensis , Aeschynomene cristata ssp. pubescens , water mimosa , Neonotonia wightii , Conyza pyrrhopappa , Leersia hexandra and Cyperus dives .

Dambos
In Zambia , “Dambo” is a flat, grassy depression that is filled with water either continuously or seasonally. Often this is in the middle of Miombowald. In higher valleys, Dambos are the sources of streams and rivers. Because of the constant moisture, they are rich in species of grasses, herbs and flowering plants such as orchids and are very suitable for antelopes to graze. Their edges are usually densely overgrown with grasses, herbs and smaller shrubs. Dambos occur in Katavi and Rukwa in the flat or slightly undulating terrain of the rift valley floor and on the plateaus of the higher areas. They are surrounded by mixed forest or miombo mixed forest, depending on the altitude. The trees and shrubs can be Combretum erythrophyllum , Mallotus oppositifolius , Terminalia kaiserana , Phyllanthus engleri , Erythrophloem africanum , Sterculia quinqueloba , Dichrostachys cinerea , Annona senegalensis , Combretum molle , Combretum zeyheri and Lonasschocarpus . The most important grasses are Hyparrhenia diplanda , Themeda triandra , Eragrostis setulifera , Chloris virgata , Sporobolus fimbriatus , Echnochloa pyramidalis , Melinis repens and Exotheca .

Former Lake Rukwa
The area around Lake Rukwa is constantly or seasonally flooded. It is overgrown by grasses, herbaceous vegetation and isolated 10 m high yellow-bark acacias . The main part make grasses, rushes , sedge plants and aquatic plants as Phragmites mauritianus , Leersia hexandra , napier grass , Echinochloa crus-pavonis , Echinochloa pyramidalis , Sporobolus fimbriatus , Typha domingensis , Aeschynomene cristata , Nymphaea caerulea , Cyperus articulatus , Cyperus dives , Cyperus difformis , Fimbristylis dichotoma and real papyrus . There are also shrubs such as Conyza pyrrhopappa , Aeschynomene schimperi and Mimosa pigra .

Rukwasee Grass Plains
Near Rukwa Lake, the vegetation consists of grasses that animals like to eat, as well as isolated trees and bushes. The main types are Ethiopian Palmyrapalme , Hyphaene compressa , Rauvolfia caffra , Cadaba kirkii , Salvadora persica , Cordia goetzei and Cordia sinensis and grasses Chloris virgata , Phragmites mauritianus , Themeda triandra , Panicum repens , Digitaria longiflora , Brachiaria brizantha , Andropogon gayanus , Eragrostis rotifer , Oryza longistaminata , dog tooth grass , Leersia hexandra and Cyperus dives . The human influence can be strong here, as these areas are used by residents of the fishing camps along the Rukwa lake shore, for example to collect firewood.

Wildlife

50 species of large to medium-sized mammals live in Katavi National Park, including 5,000 warthogs and 4,300 giraffes . There are also zebra mongooses and elephant dogs . The predators are represented by lions , leopards , spotted hyenas , cheetahs , African wild dogs , crocodiles , black cats , servals , caracals and crawling cats . In 2005, the Katavi National Park was home to an estimated 200 lions over a year old and an estimated 750 hyenas. There are large numbers of crocodiles in the river bed of the Katuma, in caves by the old Ikuu Bridge, in the Kapapa and Rungwa rivers, and in the Ndido Falls.

During the rainy season, the swampy lakes attract countless water birds and feed Tanzania's densest gatherings of hippos and crocodiles. During the dry season, giraffes, zebras, impalas, water and reed bucks, duikers, huge herds of buffalo with a thousand or more animals and numerous packs of lions and spotted hyenas gather around the drying up lakes. During this time there are an estimated 4,000 elephants on Katuma and its alluvial plains.

Mammals

An elephant in Katavi National Park

Elephants
The population of the African elephant within the park is estimated at 2,700 animals, in the entire Katavi-Rukwa ecosystem there are said to be 6,500 specimens. They tend to gather in huge herds of 300 to 500 individuals in November and December as they eat the nutrient-rich fresh grasses in the plains. Elephant poaching has increased significantly in recent times.

Zebras
There are an estimated 20,500 Grant zebras, a subspecies of the plains zebra, in Katavi National Park . They form harems of 6 to 12 animals. In the middle of the dry season, hundreds of zebras and topis can be seen moving daily to the springs in the Katuma Valley and the Kasima springs on the eastern Katisunga plains.

Waterbuck
There are 1,600 waterbucks in the Katavi National Park . The Defassa waterbuck stands out among the other grazers with its thick, long fur. It can be seen well on the shores of Lake Katavi. In Tanzania, pukus can only be found at Lake Rukwasee and in the Kilombero Valley, but they are found in large numbers in the wetlands of Zambia and Congo. But their grazing area has been greatly reduced in the last few decades. In the Rukwa Game Reserve , their habitat is disturbed by fishermen who are allowed to camp along its border. Until 2001 it was also endangered by the Sukuma - shepherds who recently immigrated from Mwanza and Shinyanga and illegally used the plains within the Rukwa Game Reserve for their large herds of cattle.

A single bull in Katavi National Park with a maggot chopper sitting on its head

African Buffalo
There are 15,500 steppe buffalos in Katavi National Park. They tend to gather in the plains to avoid the tsetse flies . During the midday heat they retreat to the shade of the trees along the plains. They are very troubled by drought, as they then have to cover further distances from the grassy areas to the drinking points that they use once or twice a day. Small groups of 2 to 15 males can often be seen bathing in Lake Katavi.

Red
hartebeest Red hartebeest can be seen in the Katavi National Park on the edges of the forest. Kapirula and the forests between Katisunga and Lake Katavi, but also Wamweru, Mbuga ya Duma, Kapapa, Mlele, Mbuga Nyeupe and Mabombani are places where you can see them. In the Rukwa Game Reserve , however, they occur in greater numbers than in the Katavi National Park, which is home to 1,700 hartebeest and 17,300 lyre antelopes . The northernmost distribution of the Sassabies is also located in the Katavi National Park. Large herds of topis are found on the Katisunga Plain. In addition to hunting, competition from herds also poses a threat to the hartebeest populations.

Eland and Hippotragus
The forests, for example Ilumbi, offer protection to large, but shy herds of elen , horse and sable antelopes . Other places where eland antelopes are often found are Lake Katavi, Kaselami Mbuga, the northern Chada plain, Kataukasi and the Kakonje plains. A total of 1,600 elands live in the Katavi National Park.

Sable antelopes are rarely seen in the wooded hills near Chorangwa and along the eastern Mlele Strait. They occur in greater numbers in the Miombo Forests of the Rukwa Game Reserve as they prefer dry soil, but in dry years they move to the plains and watercourses in the Rukwa Valley. Old males have almost black, shiny fur and very large horns that are bent backwards in an almost perfect semicircle. In not yet fully grown sable antelopes, as with horse antelopes, a white face mask forms.

Roan antelopes can be found in the plains of the Katavi National Park during the dry season, but otherwise they prefer the forests. They can be seen in the southern Katisunga plain as well as at Kataukasi, Kakonje, Mongwe and Magogo. 500 roan antelopes live in the Katavi National Park; in Rukwa they occur in greater numbers. Compared to the sable antelopes, they prefer less forested areas. Roan antelopes can also be found in areas where there are few or no other antelopes. However, they avoid regions with a high density of carnivores. They are threatened by livestock farming due to habitat destruction.

Other antelope species
The Katavi National Park has 15,200 impalas , 1,300 bushbucks , 3,000 reed and large reed bucks as well as 7,000 duikers and other small antelopes. Greater kudu are rather rare, they are more common in the highlands of the Rukwa Game Reserve .

A hippopotamus in the water, Katavi National Park

Hippos
There are 4,000 hippos in the Katavi National Park . These animals are found in large concentrations at Ikuu and other places with springs in the dry season. Although they usually only leave the water at night, in some places in Katavi they can be seen grazing during the day. Towards the end of the dry season, when all the hippos in the park move to the last mud holes, it can be observed that up to 200 hippos push themselves into a sufficiently deep river pool at the same time. With these large numbers, bloody turf wars often ensue. The illegal construction of dams outside the Katavi National Park on the Katuma River poses a great threat to the hippos. The district administration is working together with the National Park to stop this; removing the blockages will improve the life of the hippopotamus again.

African wild dogs
These predators can occasionally be seen in packs of 4 to 8 specimens around Lake Katavi. They prefer the short grass along Lake Katavi during the rainy season, when most of the other areas are covered with grasses up to 3 m high. African wild dogs have been observed chasing a male lion up a tree. Even so, no packs have been sighted in the Ikuu area, which is home to many lions. They often stay in the extended area of ​​the Katavi National Park and in the Rukwa Game Reserve .

Cheetahs
For a long time it was doubted whether these cats would occur in the Katavi National Park, until it was possible to photograph them on the Katisunga plains. A female with cubs has been observed several times in Mbuga ya Duma.

Old World monkey
blue monkeys are in dense gallery forest of Mlele Escarpment along the slope of the Rukwa- grave breakage encountered. They have also been seen along with Ugandan colobus monkeys and red-tailed monkeys in remains of river vegetation along the Katuma River, near the village of Sibwesa, north of Katavi National Park. There are also southern green monkeys in Katavi National Park.

Eastern Chimpanzees
These great apes live in the nearby Mahale National Park and on the forested hills near the village of Sibwesa, north of Katavi National Park. There were no sightings within the park, which is probably due to the fact that chimpanzees need dense forest with sufficient water and food as well as materials for their nests and special fruit-bearing trees during the dry season that do not grow in Katavi National Park.

Birds

In Katavi National Park has about 400 species of birds including Goldbugpapageien , Pittas , African snakes and fish eagle , Rotschnabeltokos , crowned cranes , hornbills , Woodland Kingfisher , fork Racken , Glanzhaubenturakos , Helmperlhühner , weapons lapwings , cattle egrets , spoonbills , sacred ibis , pelicans , Sporn- and Egyptian Geese and Storks , like saddle storks . Milchuhus are the largest owls found here, pearl pygmy owls are the smallest.

Katavi National Park could be home to more than 1% of the biogeographical populations of the great white pelican , the barnacle heron , the black-tailed ibex and the common ibis . Since 2002 it has been one of 80 Important Bird Areas in Tanzania. An inventory that took place in the dry season from June 6th to July 20th within the Katavi National Park, the Msaginia Forest Reserve, the Mlele Game Controlled Area and the Usevya Open Area in 2003 revealed a number of 222 bird species. Together with other publications, observations by park rangers, various reports and accidental sightings, the total number of bird species in the Katavi-Rukwa ecosystem was 458, of which 389 are resident birds and 69 are migratory birds . That is over 40% of the 1108 bird species found in Tanzania.

Ecosystem and adjacent protected areas

The entire ecosystem is around 50,000 km². These include the rivers Lukwate and Ruangwa in the southeast of the Katavi National Park, the Mlele Mountains, the Uruwira Plateau above the trench and the forest areas between this and the Katavi National Park that are still on the bottom of the trench. The Ruaha Rungwa Conservation Area Complex to the east of the Katavi National Park as well as Mahale and Ugalla are also included. The Katavi Rukwa ecosystem alone covers approximately 12,500 km². The Southeastern Lake Rukwa Conservation Area and Lukwati are game reserves where foreign tourists are allowed to hunt trophies . Both border on the Rukwasee. If you only count the Katavi National Park, the Game Reserves Rukwa, Lukwati and Luafi as well as some forest protection areas in the ecosystem, you get a size of 25,000 km². The Uwanda game reserve is also close to the Katavi National Park.

population

Prehistory and early history

Finds show that people lived in this area as early as the Stone and Iron Ages . Sacred places and places of worship still exist within the park.

19th century

Members of the Pimbwe, Fipa, Gongwe, Bende and Konongo tribes are said to have lived in the area since the 19th century. In 1880 the European explorer Joseph Thomson described the fortress of Konongo chief Simba ("Lion") as the largest city he saw during his travels along the slave roads - the Karema-Inyonga- Tabora slave route ran through the area. This city, as well as the Pimbwe city Maji Moto ("hot water"), which is surrounded by a palisade, was destroyed in 1881 by the Nyamwezi chief Mirambo. Thomson also mentioned the influence of Arab traders in the area who introduced firearms in the 1840s. They exchanged these for ivory with the local leaders and were involved in the slave trade.

20th century

Because of the slave trade, rinderpest , smallpox epidemics and the recruitment of soldiers for the First World War and various local wars, the human population declined sharply in the early 20th century. The bush expanded and the animals multiplied, especially as the area was uninhabited due to being haunted by tsetse flies, which transmit sleeping sickness. In addition, the British colonial administration evacuated the area of ​​today's national park in 1927 in order to set up “Tsetse settlements”. For the Gongwe, who owned a fortress surrounded by palisades in the center of the current park, this was equivalent to the confiscation of their territory. Therefore, they were placed under the control of the Bende and Pimbwe. Natural disasters like the red locust swarm in 1933 and a severe drought in 1949 also had serious effects on remaining agricultural activities, resulting in severe famine. Since 1975 the Sukuma , a shepherd people, have moved to Rukwa from the overgrazed and deforested areas in Shinyanga and Mwanza .

Current time

The neighboring villages are still heavily dependent on nature, for example through the use of charcoal , firewood , honey , lumber , bushmeat and medicine. In addition, the main occupations of the villagers are tending livestock and, to a small extent, growing finger millet , beans , corn , sunflowers , sesame , cassava , bananas and potatoes for self-sufficiency. The cultivation of rice and some small gold , silver , iron ore , limestone , nickel and mica mines serve as sources of income.

The area between the Katavi National Park and the Uwanda Reserve is populated, but permanent agricultural use is made difficult by the seasonal flooding of the same. The local population is traditionally associated with hunting.

The livestock in the Mpanda District has grown from less than 50,000 herds in 1980 to 350,000 in 1995. In 2006 it fell to an estimated 225,402 due to the cattle lung disease outbreak . Major livestock diseases in the district include tick bites and trypanosomiasis , where wildlife is the reservoir host .

Endangerment of the park and measures

Growing corn and rice, especially replacing traditional pimples with new methods introduced by ox- plowing Sukuma, can harm nature. The increase in livestock farming due to the relocation of an estimated 50,000 head of cattle from the Rukwa Game Reserve in 2002 by the Wildlife Division is negatively impacting the soil . Tobacco cultivation also destroys areas in the vicinity of the Katavi National Park, as the forest has to be constantly cleared to obtain nutrient-rich fields and firewood for the drying process. Trees are also felled to obtain hardwood such as Mninga, Msawala and Marula .

The Ibindi, Mutisi, Kasakalawe, Msaginya, Mlele and Sikitiko gold mines near the park use mercury to extract gold. The Kabenga River, which flows into the Katuma River, flows past Mutisi, where gold is mined on a large scale. These metals and agrochemicals reach the Katavi National Park via the rivers. The intensive dam construction and irrigation systems in many villages in the catchment area reduce the flow speed and the amount of water carried along and thus the availability of water for animals and plants. Fishing, which is important for the residents as a source of income and protein, is also impaired in terms of quantity and quality. With the deforestation of slopes for agricultural purposes, the top soil layers are directly exposed to rain and washed away, which promotes silting of the rivers. Water lettuce disturbs the aquatic flora and fauna because it covers the water surface and changes the oxygen content of the water. In Mikumi National Park by habitat has already been destroyed for hippos. Although the plant is a widespread problem in Tanzania, its effects on the Katavi ecosystem have not yet been studied.

The non-governmental organization Friends of Katavi Ecosystem , FOKE for short , has set itself the goal of conserving and sustainable use of the Katavi Rukwa ecosystem, for example it supports the veterinary program of the Katavi National Park and advises villagers on how to deal with "problem animals". The German Society for Technical Cooperation pursues the same goals with its Katavi-Rukwa Conservation and Development Program , or KRCD for short .

Tourism and research

Despite its size, the Katavi National Park is rather unknown and rarely visited; In 2005 it counted 250 visitors. With no research projects ongoing, it is difficult to assess and monitor resources. A detailed plant inventory in the Katavi Rukwa ecosystem was carried out by Mwangulango in 2003. Inventories of reptiles, smaller mammals, fish and invertebrates are missing, however. The plant communities were only briefly described. Even with large mammals, population numbers and age and gender structures have not yet been determined. The status of the black rhinoceros is unknown. Although data are available on the status of lions and hyenas in Katavi National Park, little is known about their behavior and population dynamics . For other predators, for example leopards, cheetahs and African wild dogs, no population figures and distribution, nor gender and age structures are known. The predator-prey relationships as well as the elephant, zebra and buffalo migrations are unexplored.

History of the national park

The Katavi ecosystem was first placed under protection as the Katavi Plains Reserve in 1911, during the German colonial era , within the Bismarck hunting reserve . Under British rule until 1932 it was called the Rukwa Game Reserve . It received its status as a national park in 1974, during Julius Nyerere's presidency, with an area of ​​2253 km². In 1996, the national park was expanded to include various hunting areas to 4471 km², its current size. Katavi National Park was officially opened in 1998 by Benjamin William Mkapa , then President of Tanzania.

origin of the name

Katavi National Park is named after a legendary hunter and head of the honeycombs named Katabi , whose spirit is said to reside in a pair of twins, a tamarind and an ana tree . His wife, the equally strong Wamweru , lives in the Wamweru hills on the other side of Lake Katavi. Every morning they greet each other from afar.

Some members of the local community still use this place for worship. The honeycombs believe that the katabi appears as an unusual person or a strange animal, for example a one-legged bird or albino . There are actually albino giraffes and reedbucks in the Katavi National Park.

Further web links

Commons : Katavi National Park  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

(especially different species of locusts in Katavi National Park)

• Photo gallery on the official website of the park
• Photo gallery for a travel report at GEO travel community
• Wildlife photography by Burrard-Lucas Wildlife Photography

supporting documents

literature

• Wally and Horst Hagen: The African national parks as habitats for elephants . In: Vitus B. Dröscher : Save the elephants of Africa . 1st edition. Goldmann Verlag , Munich 1992, ISBN 3-442-12322-4 . Pp. 234-235.
• AM Nathan: Preliminary plant communities with respect to their location . 2004. (PDF file, 39 kB; English)
• Britta Meyer: Wildlife of special interest . (PDF file, 87 kB; English)
• Katavi National Park brochure and map (PDF file, 2 MB; English)

Web links

• Official site of the Katavi National Park (English)
• Profile at BirdLife International (English)
• Description at Tanzania National Parks including opportunities to visit

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Page of the Katuma Bush Lodge ( Memento of the original from March 17, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English) 
2. ↑ Page of the Chada Camp (English)
3. ↑ Page of the Palahala Camp ( Memento of the original from March 23, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English) 
4. ↑ Page of the camp of Foxes African Safaris (English)
5. ^ Page of the Flycatcher Safaris camp
6. ↑ Temperature information at Flycatcher Safaris
7. ↑ ^{a b c} Tree species, animal populations and size of the ecosystem (official park page) ( Memento of the original from April 24, 2012 on WebCite ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English) 
8. ↑ Comment by a visitor ( Memento of the original from March 17, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English) 
9. ↑ ^{a b} travel report from June 15, 2008 at GEO travel community
10. ↑ ^{a b} travel report from June 13, 2008 at GEO travel community
11. ↑ Animals in the rainy / dry season ( memento of the original dated February 11, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
12. ↑ National Geographic Magazine : Africa Megaflyover on October 23, 2004 (English)
13. ^ SI Kimera: Surveillance of Contagious Bovine Pleuropneumonia in the Southern Highlands Zone (Iringa, Mbeya and Rukwa Regions) in Tanzania. Surveillance strategy and methodology. A consultant report to The Ministry of Livestock Developement, United Republic of Tanzania and Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, TCP-OSRO / RAF / 404 / SAF Tanzania Component . 2006. (English)
14. ↑ Page of the Friends of Katavi Ecosystem (English)
15. ↑ The Katavi-Rukwa Conservation and Development Program ( Memento of the original from September 2, 2011 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. (English) 
16. ↑ Article ( Memento of the original from January 12, 2010 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. from the University of California, Davis (English) 
17. ^ B. Meyer and N. Mwangulango: Botanical inventory and preliminary plant communities . 2003. (English)
18. ↑ C. Kiffner, B. Meyer and M. Waltert: Call-ups on hyenas and lions . 2005. (English)