Andre Bauma is the manager of the Senkwekwe Center and heads up the team of dedicated carers responsible for looking after the Center's orphaned mountain gorillas. The word Virunga is and English word derived from Kinyarwanda word "Ibirunga" to meat "Mountains" [56], Of the Albertine Rift's endemic birds, Rwenzori turaco, Rwenzori batis, Archer's ground robin, red-throated alethe, Kivu ground thrush, collared apalis, mountain masked apalis, dusky crimson-wing, Shelley's crimsonwing, red-faced woodland warbler, stripe-breasted tit, blue-headed sunbird, regal sunbird, Rwenzori double-collared sunbird, handsome spurfowl and strange weaver were recorded in Virunga National Park's southern sector during surveys in 2004. It includes a lush landscape that ranges from the Semliki River Valley to the Rwenzori Mountains, Mount Nyiragongo, and Nyamuragira. In 1926, Derscheid headed the first Belgian mission to map Albert National Park, which encompassed an area of 500km2 (190sqmi) around the extinct volcanoes Mount Karisimbi and Mount Mikeno. The oldest mountain is Mount Sabyinyo, which rises 3,634 metres (11,923ft) above sea level. Modern access to the western volcanoes is from Goma and Gisenyi (Rwanda); the remaining mountains are located within the circuit of roads connecting Goma and Rutshuru (Congo), Kisoro (Uganda), and Ruhengeri and Gisenyi (Rwanda). The park is a crucial habitat for giant and tree pangolin, crested porcupine and even Lord Derbys scaly-tailed squirrel (a rodent with a very similar design to flying squirrels). The most recent eruption occurred in 2021 and had catastrophic consequences for the human residents of the city of Goma. Virunga Mountains in Congo were formed as a result of volcanic activity from the past. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. Both the highest and lowest recorded rainfalls in the republic occur within the parks boundaries: while annual rainfall at Lake Edward is some 20 inches (500 mm), the west slope of Mount Ruwenzori, less than 47 miles (75 km) away, receives more than 118 inches (3,000 mm). Though there are innumerable reasons to want to visit Virunga National Park, the potential insecurity in the region is of concern to many prospective visitors. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). chat to the Africa Geographic travel team, Photographer of the Year 2023 Weekly Selection: Week 11. Despite the global call for protected areas to cover 30% of the earth by 2030, there are still many parks and reserves where the future hangs very much in the balance. Satellite images showed hotspots at Nyamuragira volcano in early 2017, indicating ongoing eruptions. Many lesser cones flank the major volcanoes. The Rwenzori Mountains National Park covers nearly 100,000 ha in western Uganda and comprises the main part of the Rwenzori mountain chain, which includes Africa's third highest peak (Mount Margherita: 5,109 m). They have significantly shaped the national park's diverse habitats and wildlife. They are solitary creatures who remain isolated except when threatened or breeding. The Virunga Mountains rise out of densely populated plateaus that are inhabited mostly by Rwandan cultivators and, in certain areas, by cattle herders. The Virunga Mountains are 8 famously known mountain ranges that lie on the northern border of Rwanda and Congo and south western part of Uganda. The mountain range consists of eight major volcanoes. While the apes may be the stars, the supporting cast of around 19 smaller primate species is deserving of a special mention. Ethnic groups living in and around Virunga National Park include: The documentary Virunga documents the work of Virunga National Park rangers and the activities of British oil company Soco International within the park. As anyone who has ever spent time with gorillas will tell you, it is an experience that defies words and borders on sacred. Some biologists even believe that a fifth subspecies, called the mountain or Virunga buffalo, should be recognised. Average temperatures in lower altitudes vary from 2328C (7382F), and in higher altitudes from 1624C (6175F), rarely dropping below 14C (57F). Around one third of the world population of critically endangered mountain gorillas live in the lush volcanic forests of Virunga National Park. Though valiant efforts were made to protect the park, the end of the 20th century saw much of the parks wildlife massacred almost to the point of extinction. Virunga National Park is one such park, still tumbling in the currents of war, political instability, poverty, and disease. The Virunga Foundation is a UK-based charity founded in 2005, created to support the protection of the flora and fauna of the Park, and to generate benefits for the local communities that live around the national park. [27][28][29][30], By 2016, four hydropower dams were constructed that provide electricity to small businesses and benefit more than 200,000 rural people. Situated in a region which has been deeply impacted by the effects of war and armed conflict for over 20 years, Virunga is currently protected by a dedicated team of 689 Rangers. There are an estimated 30,000 individuals left in the wild. Illegal hunting inside protected areas increased. Learn more about Dodo Bahati, a project supporting anti-poaching efforts in Virunga National Park. Though Virunga is accessible year-round (if open to visitors), the best time to visit is during the drier months, from June until September or December until February. It includes the Rwindi plains and the Ishasha River valley, and is contiguous with Ugandas Queen Elizabeth National Park to the east. Virunga is the continent's most biologically diverse protected area and a national park embarking on an ambitious development programme known as the "Virunga Alliance". [43], Virunga National Park is located in the Congo Nile watershed area. (For more on the conservation and social developments by the Virunga Alliance. It erupts on average every two years. Farther north are the Rutshuru Falls and the Mai ya Moto sulfur springs. It conserves a diversity of habitats that surpasses any other park on the continent and is tucked along the eastern boundary of the Democratic Republic of Congo, protecting the eastward extremity of the Congo Basin. [7] About 850,000 refugees lived around the national park in 1994. [2], The northern sector of Virunga National Park is contiguous with Uganda's Semuliki park, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and the central sector with Queen Elizabeth National Park. Surrounded by the mountains and home to Lake Edward, this large expanse of grassland and wooded savanna plays host to the Parks highest concentrations of elephants, buffalos and warthogs. The M23 Rebellion erupts in and around the Park. However, taking one taxing step at a time has paid off. Park protection efforts were militarised in the following years to deter armed rebel groups and poachers from operating inside the park. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. In 2008, the Congolese National Parks Authority, (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, ICCN), and the Virunga Foundation (then known as the Africa Conservation Foundation), entered into a partnership to manage the Park. These local men and women go through intensive training, risking their lives on a daily basis to safeguard the Parks exceptional wildlife, including the last of the worlds endangered mountain gorillas. Naturally, the park authorities are aware of this, and they take the safety of their guests extremely seriously. It is headed by Andr Bauma, a man who has become almost as famous as his gorilla charges. The inhabitants inside the national park, whether native or refugees, rely on farming, hunting, fishing, logging and producing charcoal for their livelihoods, all prohibited activities. More than 3,000 faunal and floral species have been recorded, of which more than 300 are endemic to the Albertine Rift including eastern gorilla (Gorilla beringei) and golden monkey (Cercopithecus kandti). The 2002 Nyiragongo eruption destroyed much of the nearby city of Goma, Congo, leaving thousands homeless. Shoebills prefer to hunt in poorly oxygenated and shallow waters where fish are closer to the surface, using their razor sharp beaks to catch their prey. Though the full history of the park (and the DRC) is beyond the scope of this celebration of Virunga, no coverage would be complete without mention of both the challenges and efforts involved in keeping it safe. UNESCO designated the park a World Heritage site in 1979, and it was placed on the List of World Heritage in Danger in 1994, because of the growth of permanent settlements within the park and the influx of a great number of refugees fleeing war in neighbouring Rwanda. Okapi (Okapia johnstoni), blue duiker (Philantomba monticola), bay duiker (Cephalophus dorsalis), Weyns's duiker (C. weynsi), yellow-backed duiker (C. silvicultor), water chevrotain (Hyemoschus aquaticus), red river hog (Potamochoerus porcus), aardvark (Orycteropus afer) and bongo (Tragelaphus eurycerus) were recorded in the northern sector in 2008. Naturally, the park authorities are aware of this, and they take the safety of their guests extremely seriously. Omissions? However, this is no idle volcano. In 1969, following the countrys independence from Belgium in 1960, the Park was renamed Virunga National Park. Of these, nine gorilla families have been carefully habituated over the last thirty years. Hippo numbers increase to over 2000 for the first time in 20 years. Two active volcanoes are located in the park, Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira. The habituation process is done by researchers and rangers who visit the gorillas on a daily basis for between two and three years until the gorillas are comfortable having people near them. [33], In 2005, the European Commission (EC) recommended a public-private partnership between the country's government and the British non-governmental organisation African Conservation Fund. Mount Nyiragongo is 3,470 meters, Mount Nyamuragira is 3,058 meters and Mount Mikeno is 4,437 meters. Virunga is part of the Albertine Rift (the western branch of the East African Rift) and stretches from the snow-covered peaks of the Rwenzori Mountains in the north to the Virunga Massif in the south. [13], In the early 1920s, several proponents of the European conservation movement championed the idea of creating a protected area in northeastern Belgian Congo, among them Victor van Straelen, Jean Massart and Jean-Marie Derscheid. Today, they are probably the parks most famous residents. The Virunga Mountains in Volcanoes Park. In direct response to the massacres, the Senkwekwe Centre is established to care for the orphans of the massacre. African fish eagles are birds of prey that live in the waterways of sub-Saharan Africa. Notable species include the prehistoric-looking shoebills, dashing Rwenzori turacos, mind-blowingly cryptic African green broadbills, and bizarre red-collared mountain babblers whose closest relative forages the slopes of Mt Jupe in Cameroon. Sabyinyo volcano, located on the border of Uganda, Rwanda, and Congo in the Virunga Mountains, is simply incredible! Ultra-luxury is not the order of the day in Virunga, but there are high-end accommodation options, and all the camps are comfortable. The Virunga Mountain in Rwanda, Congo and Uganda The Virunga volcanoes /mountains also locally known as Mufumbiro are located in three countries Uganda, Rwanda and DRCongo. [4] [45][54], Virunga National Park together with the adjacent Queen Elizabeth National Park forms a "Lion Conservation Unit". Rwanda is located in East Africa, to the east of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, at the co-ordinates 200S 300E . Okapis are shy and solitary animals that resemble zebras but are more closely related to the giraffe and are endemic to the DRC. It was created in 1925. 689 men and women standing fearlessly to protect Virunga, Critical training and support for widows and children of fallen Virunga Rangers, The world's only facility caring for mountain gorilla orphans. During the 2002 eruption, some of Nyiragongos lava flows were clocked at 62 miles per hour (100 kilometers per hour) and reached all the way to Lake Kivu. Its initial size of 2,920.98km2 (1,127.80sqmi) was enlarged step by step in subsequent years. [14][15][16][17] Indigenous people lost their traditional land rights in this process, and were evicted from the protected area. Mountain gorillas (, ) are a subspecies of the critically endangered eastern gorilla, and there are believed to be just over 1,000 remaining. [45] Fuelled by subsistence and profit-driven poaching, rebel groups launch attacks on patrol posts in the Northern Sector of the Park. Both savanna and forest buffalo are found in the park and can be found roaming the Rwindi plains in the Parks Central Sector. The Virunga Mountains also popularly known as the Virunga Volcanoes range are a chain of eight volcanoes created by violent eruptions in the Albertine Rift region. Virunga staff are caught in the fighting, but maintain their presence and eventually negotiate Park access to protect the mountain gorillas. Virunga National Park is home to around a third of those gorillas, which reside in the dense forests on the lush slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. As is inevitable, this tableau of human suffering has spilt over into the conservation of the countrys natural resources, and Virunga has found itself in the middle of countless conflicts. Some biologists even believe that a fifth subspecies, called the mountain or Virunga buffalo, should be recognised. The Virunga mountains are the most hike in DR Congo and they include Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira which are active volcanoes, and lastly Mount Mikeno which is a dormant volcano. Every family comes with its dynamics, characters and stories, and the rangers have kept track of it all you can read more about their histories and present breakdown here. [40] Again in January 2021, armed men killed at least six rangers and wounded several others in an ambush in the national park. [5] While sightings of these animal oddities in Virunga are few and far between, they were spotted in the northern sector before the arrival of the militia. With a checklist of 706 different species, there are more birds in Virunga than in the entire United States of America. The six volcanoes of the centre and east are extinct. There are four recognised subspecies of the African buffalo in Africa and two of these the Cape and forest are found in Virunga. [8][9], There have been plans to drill for oil in the Congo Basin since the 2000s. Mount Mikeno is an extinct volcano located in the Virunga Mountains. The endangered Rwenzori duiker or Rwenzori red duiker is a stocky, small antelope endemic to the alpine zones of the Rwenzori mountains. Get a Britannica Premium subscription and gain access to exclusive content. The Park is founded as Parc Albert, the first national park to be established on the African continent. Hippopotamuses, rare mountain gorillas, okapis, antelope, warthogs, and pelicans all live in Virunga as well. Mean monthly rainfall in the savanna around Lake Edward is 3040mm (1.21.6in); this is the driest part of the landscape. (For more on the conservation and social developments by the Virunga Alliance, have a look at their website.). It is founded primarily to protect the mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Massif. This picturesque part of the park adjoins the Rwenzori Mountains and Semuliki National Parks in neighbouring Uganda. In the national park's northern sector, African leopard (P. pardus pardus), marsh mongoose (Atilax paludinosus), giant pangolin (Smutsia gigantea), tree pangolin (Phataginus tricuspis), crested porcupine (Hystrix cristata), Lord Derby's scaly-tailed squirrel (Anomalurus derbianus), Boehm's bush squirrel (Paraxerus boehmi), western tree hyrax (Dendrohyrax dorsalis), Emin's pouched rat (Cricetomys emini) and checkered elephant shrew (Rhynchocyon cirnei) were recorded during surveys in 2008. There is a place in the heart of Africa where glacier-tipped mountains tumble down into steamy rain forests, where fiery lava lakes bubble, and savannas and grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see. Virunga is an English derived word from its origin word "ibirunga" (comes . [2], In 2011, the British company Soco International was granted a concession for extracting crude oil in the surroundings of and in large parts of the national park. Only 629 hippos remain in the Park, a 98% decrease from the 30,000 of the 1960s and 1970s. Together with Queen Elizabeth National Park, Virunga is considered by the IUCN to be a Lion Conservation Unit. However, wet seasons are a good option for those with a pair of solid, waterproof boots looking to take advantage of the low-season discounts. Lake Edward, one of the most fertile lakes in Africa, is home to numerous bird, fish, and mammal species. The presence of these volcanoes has shaped the landscape of the park over the years . As is inevitable, this tableau of human suffering has spilt over into the conservation of the countrys natural resources, and Virunga has found itself in the middle of countless conflicts. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The region's glaciers, waterfalls and lakes make it one of Africa's most beautiful alpine areas. The volcanos forested lower slopes are home to a variety of animals, including chimpanzees, monkeys, and bushbuck. Shoebills can be found in the swamps and marshes of Virungas Central Sector near Lake Edward, the Ishasha River, and the Rwindi River. [5], Primates present in the national park include mountain gorilla (G. b. beringei), common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), golden monkey, red-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus ascanius), Dent's mona monkey (C. denti), blue monkey (C. mitis), Hamlyn's monkey (C. hamlyni), De Brazza's monkey (C. neglectus), Central African red colobus (Procolobus foai), mantled guereza (Colobus guereza), olive baboon (Papio anubis) and grey-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena). Still, military and rebel forces remain in eastern Congo and continue fighting as well as poaching and cutting down trees. You can make a differenceby joining our community of dedicated individuals who aim to protect Africas oldest national park and bring peace and prosperity for the four million people who depend on it. [46] Virunga National Park is one of the five UNESCO protected areas that fall under the jurisdiction of the ICCN. The, However, this is no idle volcano. There is a place in the heart of Africa where glacier-tipped mountains tumble down into steamy rain forests, where fiery lava lakes bubble, and savannas and grasslands stretch as far as the eye can see. It spans across the three countries; via the North West Rwanda covering Volcanoes National Park, south western Uganda encompassing Mgahinga Gorilla National Park and eastern Congo forming part of Virunga National Park. The Centre is the only one of its kind in the world. [26] Park personnel are given paramilitary training and high-quality weaponry, and operate together with the military and state security services. This may also be done to protect the highly susceptible apes from human diseases like Covid-19. Regional conflict spills over and an estimated 5.6 million Congolese die from the fighting. This helps to increase understanding of mountain gorilla behaviour, as well as allowing veterinary teams to intervene if gorillas are injured or showing signs of ill health. In addition to buffalo, the plains support several ungulates, including topi, Ugandan kob, waterbuck, warthog, and red river and giant forest hog. Learn more about the Okapi Conservation Project, a project working to protect these unique mammals in the DRC, as well as the forests and creatures of Okapi Wildlife Reserve. Some of the Ruwenzori Mountains are permanently snow-capped, and glaciers exist at high elevations. Nyiragongo has erupted over thirty times since the end of the 19. century. The park is periodically closed when they feel that the situation on the ground is such that security cannot be guaranteed. One of Africas most spectacular protected areas. Explore one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the world. Virunga national park located in the democratic republic of Congo hosts 6 Virunga volcanoes that is mount karisimbi, mount Nyiragongo, mount Sabyinyo, mount Mikeno, mount Nyamurangira, and Mount Bisoke. The Virunga Mountains : 8 Related Volcanoes. Created in 1925, it has an area of some 3,050 square miles (7,900 square km) and contains a vast diversity of habitats. The UK oil company Soco announces that it will not renew its claim to an oil concession in Virunga National Park. The past 14 years have been far from plain sailing, and the park has suffered its fair share of losses, particularly of the brave rangers dedicated to protecting the park. The park is periodically closed when they feel that the situation on the ground is such that security cannot be guaranteed. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Carefully selected conservation projects one-stop, seamless, transparent donations APP subscribers only. The crater of Muhavura contains a small lake. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Alongside this essential conservation work, the Park is committed to supporting local communities. The park is also home to a diverse array of fauna and flora, including over 200 mammal species and a third of the worlds remaining mountain gorillas. Others include Karisimbi - the highest at 4,507m, Bisoke and Sabyinyo in Rwanda, Gahinga and Muhabura in Uganda and Mikemo in DRC. Virunga owes its existence, at least in part, to the presence of the endangered (, . Of its eight major volcanic peaks, the highest is Karisimbi, at 14,787 feet (4,507 metres). The park also encompasses savannas, peat bogs, marshes, lava plains, eastern steppe vegetation, and various types of forests, including tropical rainforest and bamboo. Hiking the Sabyinyo volcano takes approximately 7 to 9 hours. The latter organisation is responsible for park management since 2010; about 80% of management costs are subsidised by the EC. The parks southern tip rests on the northern shore of Lake Kivu, a short distance from the town of Goma to the east. The mountains are part of the Albertine rift located at the Great Rift Valley one of the world's largest natural features. The Grauers gorillas consist of a handful of individuals isolated to the inaccessible Mount Tshiabirimu region of the park. Both state security services and such groups also resort to armed robberies and kidnapping for income. Here is a summary of the most important information about the hike that can become one of the most amazing experiences of your life. [26] The plains of Virunga National Park are dominated by wetlands and grasslands with papyrus sedge (Cyperus papyrus), jointed flatsedge (C. articulatus), common reed (Phragmites mauritanica), sacaton grasses (Sporobolus consimilis), ambatch (Aeschynomene elaphroxylon), conkerberry (Carissa spinarum), paperbark thorn (Vachellia sieberiana) and kowai fruit (Coccinia grandis).

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