GARAMBA NATIONAL PARK

In our "Around the World" Section this week, we mentioned that Garamba National Park is home to some of the world's endangered white rhinos. There is a lot more to know about this great wildlife refuge.

Garamba National Park is one of the oldest national parks in Africa. The picture shown here is of the inside of the park. It is the only place in Congo where the endangered northern white rhinoceros and the Congo giraffe live. The northern white rhinoceros has been exterminated in many of its former habitats; however, about 30 of them are still living in Garamba National Park.

Garamba National Park lies in the northeastern corner of Congo. A tourist can access the park either by road from Bunia or by a plane from Goma or Bunia. The park's northern border is the Nile/Congo rivers watershed. A watershed is a ridge of high land that divides two areas that are drained by different river systems.

Garamba National Park is mainly gently flowing grassland with a few large stone boulders toward the north. There are numerous swamps and valley grasslands in the region, which house wild animals like crocodile birds.

The weather in the park is semi-humid with a long wet season from April through November. The short dry season lasts from December through March.

Garamba National Park is home to about 138 species of mammals and 300 types of birds. Approximately 7,000 elephants and 3,000 buffalo live in the park.

Garamba National Park was nominated in 1980 as a World Heritage Site in recognition of its unique natural value.

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