Nki National Park

Nki National Park
Coordinates: 2 ° 20 ′ 0 ″  N , 14 ° 30 ′ 0 ″  E
Location:	Est , Cameroon
Surface:	3093 km²

The Nki National Park is a national park in southeast Cameroon . The park belongs to the eastern province of the country.

history

The WWF has been trying to actively protect the forest since around 1980 . One of the goals of the WWF was to prevent overexploitation by the timber industry. When the organization was established in the area, it initially pursued the goal of sustainable forestry. Since the wood industry created jobs, the WWF activities were viewed with displeasure or displeasure by the local population. In 1988 the wood processing industry finally left the area. What remained were old machines that are rotting today . Due to the lack of alternatives for the indigenous tribes , they shifted their activities to illegal poaching.

The government of Cameroon countered the increasing poaching with reprisals against the local population. An example of this came in January 1997 when Baka pygmies were evicted from their homes near Mambele. Since the Baka people are traditional hunters and gatherers, they have no understanding of these actions.

Despite all the problems, in 1990 a freelance journalist described Nki National Park as the last true wilderness . In 1995 the area was as Essential protection zone designated (Essential Protection Zone). Between 1996 and 2000 the national forest authority of Cameroon and supporting partners carried out a study. The aim was a biological, ecological and socio-economic inventory in order to get a corresponding legal gazette on the way.

Cameroon, Gabon and the Republic of the Congo are currently working on a so-called TRIDOM project. The aim is to create a trinational and thus transnational zone. Part of the integration project are the Minkébé (Gabon), the Boumba-Bek (Cameroon), the Nki- (Cameroon) and the Odzala National Park (Republic of the Congo) and the Dja Wildlife Reserve (Cameroon). Forest corridors connect Ivindo and Mwagne national parks in Gabon.

Since April 18, 2006, the Nki National Park has been on the list of proposals for UNESCO World Heritage .

geography

Due to its remoteness in southeast Cameroon, the park was able to maintain its originality. The park is located at an altitude between 350 and 650 meters above sea level. The park belongs to the Sangha ecoregion. Several large rivers flow through the park. One of them is the dja . Part of the Dja is the mighty Nki waterfall.

The park lies on a latitude between 2˚05 and 2˚50 and a longitude between 14˚05 and 14˚50. The area covers an area of ​​3093 km².

The closest towns to the Nki are Yokadouma , Moloundou and Lomié . The rest is rural area.

There are at least 73 salt pans in the forest. Six of the salt pans, Ikwa, Badangue, Mbiado, Sokolimbombo, Teke and Metouke, are known for high game movements as the minerals are very popular with animals.

climate

The park has a tropical climate. The average annual temperature is 24˚C. The relative humidity varies between 60 and 90%. According to the Cameroonian Ministry of Agro-Culture, the rainy season is from March to June and from September to November. The dry season is from November to March and from July to August. The annual rainfall is about 1500 mm per year.

population

Small groups of pygmies live within the reserve . They belong to the Baka ethnic group . They are allowed to hunt traditionally in designated areas.

The majority of the population consists of the Bantu ethnic group .

There are also the Djem , Bangando , Bakwele and Zime tribes .

biodiversity

flora

Most of the national park consists of evergreen forest. The forest is dominated by 50-60 meter high Abachi trees ( Triplochiton scléroxylon ). In addition, one finds Limbabäume ( Terminalia superba ), African mahogany trees ( Entandrophragma TYPES), colas and Elm Family .

fauna

There is a high density of forest elephants in the park . Western lowland gorillas and forest buffalo can also be found in the Nki . Other primates in the park are chimpanzees , brazzamers , black colobus monkeys, and crested masks .

The park is also a paradise for ornithologists . A 20-day inventory by BirdLife International revealed 265 different bird species. The existing types include u. a. the Gabon Buschsänger ( Bradypterus grandis ), the boat-tail Nachtschwalbe ( Caprimulgus binotatus ), the Fleckenibis ( Bostrychia rara ) and Schwachschnabeluhu ( Bubo leucostictus ).

The Nki waterfall is home to the Nile crocodile . You can also find dwarf cichlids there . More than 300 different species of fish have been counted in the rivers of the Nki.

swell

1. ↑ http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/where_we_work/africa/solutions_by_region/congo_basin_forests/the_area/ndogo/index.cfm
2. ↑ http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,2144,2420896,00.html
3. ↑ ^{a b} Archived copy ( memento of the original from July 23, 2008 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. 
4. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original dated May 11, 2008 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. 
5. ↑ http://whc.unesco.org/en/cawhfi
6. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original from August 21, 2008 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. 
7. ↑ http://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/4024/
8. ↑ http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/6135
9. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from June 15, 2012 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. 
10. ↑ http://www.postnewsline.com/2006/03/the_journey_to_.html
11. ↑ Cameroon ( Memento from March 16, 2008 in the Internet Archive )
12. ↑ http://assets.panda.org/downloads/three_national_parks.doc
13. ↑ ^{a b} http://www.cameroun-foret.com/biblio/02_09_78.pdf  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.  
14. ↑ WWF projects Protection for the green heart of Africa - Cameroon ( Memento from July 19, 2011 in the Internet Archive )
15. ↑ Archived copy ( Memento of the original dated October 4, 2007 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. 
16. ↑ Archived copy ( memento of the original from July 30, 2012 on WebCite ) 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. 
17. ↑ http://www.datz.de/QUlEPTgxODAzNSZNSUQ9NjE1NjImVElYPTA.html  ( page no longer available , search in web archives )  Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice.