Kigosi National Park
History
Formerly Kigosi Game Reserve, the protected area was first established in 1983. It'status was upgraded to National park in 2019. It encompasses an area of 8265 km.
Geography
The reserve extends from Bukombe and Kahama Districts in Shinyanga Region up to Urambo District in Tabora Region. There are two annual rainfall peaks, in February and November. The dry season starts in mid May and ends in mid October. Annual rainfall varies between 1,000m and 1,500m. It is one of the largest reserves in East Africa with floodplain and wetland ecosystems. This reserve is an important wild animal protection and feeding area during the dry season for migratory animals like waterfowl and large mammal species. The maximum temperature of the area is 29°C.
It is thought to provide close to 30% of Lake Tanganyika's freshwater. The entire region has been declared as a Ramsar site, a wetland of worldwide significance. Kigosi National Park is located in the northeast of the complex, where the Nikonga River joins the Moyowosi wetlands complex and drains the shallow, sloping Miombo woods.
Fauna
The shoebill stork, a rare and slightly ominous bird, as well as the towering and graceful wattled crane have their biggest concentrations in Africa there. The largest flocks of pygmy geese in Africa are present. The largest concentrations of Cape clawless otters in Africa can be found in the Moyowosi wetlands. Lion, leopard, buffalo, crocodile, topi, sitatunga, warthog, baboon, zebra, sable, roan, eland, bushbuck, oribi, common and Bohor reedbuck, hyena, hippo, and Defassa waterbuck are just a few examples of the abundant big game. The landscape is interesting. Miombo woodlands surround vast lakes and marshes, many of which have floating palm and papyrus islands, and grassy flood plains dotted with palm trees.
The lion populations in western Tanzania are well-known, and Kigosi is no exception. The Miombo forests are home to big game in addition to lions. Numerous buffalo, sable, roan, kudu, leopards, and topis are present. Sightings of the elusive, water-loving sitatunga in the south's swamps. For the sitatunga, this is one of the biggest protected areas in East Africa. Waterbuck, hippo, and crocodiles have the ideal habitat in the wet areas. The marshes are also the ideal habitat for rare water birds, such as the great snipe, wattled cranes, and shoebills.
References
- ^ "Kigosi National Park". Kiwoito Africa safaris. 2023. Retrieved 14 January 2023.
- ^ World Database on Protected Areas
- ^ "Kigosi Game Reserve". Tanzania Zalendo. Retrieved 1 December 2020.