where are the virunga mountains located

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. However, extraordinary doesnt even begin to cover it. There are four recognised subspecies of the African buffalo in Africa and two of these the Cape and forest are found in Virunga. Nyamuragira is a high-potassium basaltic shield volcano with an elevation of 10,033 feet (3,058 meters). The 300km-long park is divided into three primary sectors: northern, central, and southern, which together combine to protect an astonishing array of landscapes from alpine vegetation and montane forests to lava plains and wetlands. The Virunga Mountains, located in the northwest part of Rwanda, contain the country's highest peak, Karisimbi, which reaches nearly 15,000 feet. Up to 40,000 people entered the park daily in search of firewood and food, and deforested huge areas. There are a couple of different lodges scattered throughout the park, and the choice of activity (gorilla treks, Lava treks up Nyiragongo, game drives and so on) will determine the best place to stay. About Virunga National Park | Facts, History & Conservation 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. Campaigners trying to create public awareness are threatened and intimidated on social media. The Virunga Mountains are all volcanic mountains but most of them are dormant. It covers an area of 8,090 km2 (3,120 sq mi). The Virunga Mountains: 8 Related Volcanoes - Uganda Safaris [16][18] Between the late 1930s and 1955, an estimated 85,000 Rwandophone people were moved to nearby Masisi in North Kivu. The mountain gorilla is taken off the IUCN critically endangered species list, marking a victory for Congolese, Rwandan and Ugandan National Parks. [24], In the late 1950s, Tutsi herders and their cattle entered the park, destroying natural habitat up to an altitude of 3,000m (9,800ft), which was thought to threaten the park's gorillas. National park in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mammals photographed in Virunga National Park, African bush elephant and African buffaloes, Settlements at the edge of the Nyiragongo crater, Ethnic groups in and around Virunga National Park, Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature, 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference, China National Offshore Oil Corporation Ltd, Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Rwanda, National Congress for the Defence of the People, Centre National d'Appui au Dveloppement et la Participation populaire, Deforestation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, List of birds of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tourism in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, "Virunga National Park Sees Its Worst Violence in a Decade, Director Says", "Twelve rangers killed in latest Virunga Park incident", "COP26: Landmark $500 million agreement launched to protect the DR Congo's forest", "Oil and gas exploration Virunga National Park", "DRC's oil blocks auction: Civil society statement on threats and intimidation of environmental defenders in DR Congo", "Contribution l'histoire jusque 1934 de la cration de l'Institut des parcs nationaux du Congo belge", "Conserving biodiversity in the Democratic Republic of Congo: a brief history, current trends and insights for the future", "The urgency of international intervention for the preservation of the mountain gorilla", "Beyond Contesting Limits: Land, Access, and Resistance at the Virunga National Park", "Sustainable development at natural World Heritage sites in Africa", "Engaging World Heritage to drive sustainable development in Africa: next steps", "Conserving forest biodiversity in times of violent conflict", "Transboundary collaboration in the Greater Virunga Landscape: From gorilla conservation to conflict-sensitive transboundary landscape management", "The counterinsurgency/conservation nexus: guerrilla livelihoods and the dynamics of conflict and violence in the Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo", "Militarised Conservation Threatens DRC's Indigenous People Part 1", "Six Virunga park rangers killed in DRC wildlife sanctuary", "In memoriam: deadliest attack on Virunga staff in Park's recent history brings total ranger deaths to 175", "Congo's Virunga park reopens eight months after deadly ambush", "Rangers killed in "deadliest" DR Congo park attack", "Six park rangers killed in DR Congo's Virunga gorilla reserve", "Six Virunga park rangers killed in eastern Congo ambush", "Italian ambassador to DR Congo killed in UN convoy attack", "On the germination of seeds in the dung balls of the African elephant in the Virunga National Park", "Behavioural adaptations to water scarcity in Tongo chimpanzees", Greater Virunga Landscape Large Mammal Surveys, 2010, Queen Elizabeth National Park, Kyambura Wildlife Reserve, Kigezi Wildlife Reserve-General Management Plan (2011 - 2021), Aerial surveys of the Greater Virunga Landscape - Technical Report 2014, "L'apparition des crocodiles au lac ex-Edouard, Parc National des Virunga, Zare", "The Details of the Basongoro of Rwenzori and their Culture in Uganda", "Netflix's "Virunga" uncovers Congo's fight to protect resources", "Ndakasi, Beloved Mountain Gorilla of Photobomb Fame, dies", "Important Bird Areas factsheet: Virunga National Park", "Interview With Emmanuel de Merode, Director of Virunga National Park National Geographic Blog", "Inside the Fight to Save a Dangerous Park", National Parks of the Democratic Republic of Congo, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virunga_National_Park&oldid=1147211296, National parks of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ramsar sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, World Heritage Sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Nature conservation in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 29 March 2023, at 14:08. Where Are The Virunga Mountains Located - 2022 Baumas love for his primate family endeared him to the audiences of the Oscar-nominated film, Mountain gorillas aside, Virungas great ape collection also includes, While the apes may be the stars, the supporting cast of around 19 smaller primate species is deserving of a special mention. The local community has developed negative feeling towards park personnel and the military. [2] It covers an area of 8,090km2 (3,120sqmi). 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". Learn more about the history of Virunga National Park by exploring the timeline below. [2] Latter controlled the Mikeno sector of Virunga National Park between December 2006 and January 2009. The Grauers gorillas consist of a handful of individuals isolated to the inaccessible Mount Tshiabirimu region of the park. 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. Show map of Democratic Republic of the Congo, List of mountains peaks in the Virunga Mountain Range, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Virunga Mountains | Location, Description, & Facts", List of countries where Arabic is an official language, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Virunga_Mountains&oldid=1133900401, Mountain ranges of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, World Heritage Sites in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from August 2018, All articles needing additional references, Wikidata value to be checked for Infobox mountain, Wikipedia articles incorporating a citation from the 1911 Encyclopaedia Britannica with Wikisource reference, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 16 January 2023, at 01:48. The grey crowned crane can be found in the wetlands, open grasslands, savannas, and cultivated areas and tropical lowland forests near the Ishasha River and Rwindi River. [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. However, another creature is arguably Virungas (and Africas) most peculiar offering. It is an extraordinary park steeped in a history of tragedy and heroism: primordial and viscerally wild. 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. Here dedicated keepers have raised the young survivors of anthropogenic cruelty (poaching and snaring), as well as rehabilitating eastern lowland gorillas. Hippopotamuses, rare mountain gorillas, okapis, antelope, warthogs, and pelicans all live in Virunga as well. (For more on the conservation and social developments by the Virunga Alliance, have a look at their website.). Though valiant efforts were made to protect the park, the end of the 20. century saw much of the parks wildlife massacred almost to the point of extinction. Also known as: Birunga Mountains, Mufumbiro Mountains. The gorilla massacres catalyzed a groundswell of efforts to protect Virunga. Tourism remains a cornerstone of the parks conservation efforts, and to that end, all of the lodges within the park are non-profit, with all proceeds fed back into keeping the park protected. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. [48], The montane forest between 1,800 and 2,800m (5,900 and 9,200ft) in the southern sector is dominated by Ficalhoa laurifolia and Podocarpus milanjianus with up to 25m (82ft) high trees. [34], These tactics, criticised as "militarization of conservation", has been blamed for further violence and dispossession faced by local indigenous people. 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. 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. Key Information. These, in turn, keep the lions of the park suitably satiated. Y rt nhiu cu v d dch cha "VN QUC GIA CONGO" - ting vit-ting anh bn dch v ng c cho bn dch ting vit tm kim. [32] The great volcanoes of this range, clothed in cloud forests, include the dormant Mikeno, Karisimbi, Visoke, and Sabinio (Sabinyo), as well as the active Nyiragongo and Nyamulagira. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The crater of Muhavura contains a small lake. (US) +1 (786) 655-4040, *Call costs: Local rates apply from South Africa, UK and US otherwise international rates apply, newsletter@africageographic.com Furthermore, a substantial number of these are Albertine Rift and Congolese endemics. Click here to learn more about the work of the Virunga Alliance. These mountains are part of the Great Rift Valley. The mountain gorillas have increased from fewer than 70 to over 300 in ten years and hippos from 300 to over 2,000, while elephant and lion sightings are now a fairly regular occurrence. Disorder spreads across the Park's Southern Sector. While many of the gorillas sensibly prefer to reside on the slopes of the dormant Mikeno volcano, the southern section is also the location of the two active volcanoes in the park Mount Nyiragongo and Nyamuragira. The Virunga Mountains in Volcanoes Park. The presence of these volcanoes has shaped the landscape of the park over the years . The latter organisation is responsible for park management since 2010; about 80% of management costs are subsidised by the EC. Poachers murder four mountain gorillas, making this the first time in 10 years that a mountain gorilla had been poached within Park borders. It reopened in February 2019. national park, Democratic Republic of the Congo. This article was most recently revised and updated by, https://www.britannica.com/place/Virunga-National-Park, UNESCO World Heritage Centre - Virunga National Park, Democratic Republic of the Congo (Kinshasa). 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. Illegal hunting inside protected areas increased. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The 2008 partnership between the Congolese National Parks Authority (ICCN) and the Virunga Foundation marked a turning point in the parks history. ceo@africageographic.com, Travel & conservation company, since 1991,

, The oldest national park in Africa, Virunga National Park covers nearly 8,000km. Virunga Mountains - Virunga Volcanoes, Virunga Mountain Ranges These, in turn, keep the lions of the park suitably satiated. 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. The female, with a wingspan of up to 8 feet (2.4 meters), is larger than the male. 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. [5], In 1979, the National Park was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site because of its rich diversity of habitats, exceptional biodiversity and endemism, and its protection of rare mountain gorilla habitat. [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. Explore one of the most biodiverse protected areas in the world. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site located in the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Regional conflict spills over and an estimated 5.6 million Congolese die from the fighting. Even the air is redolent with the scent of rich soil, and intrepid visitors find themselves besieged by butterflies and ebrious with delight at the natural life on show. 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. Farther north are the Rutshuru Falls and the Mai ya Moto sulfur springs. [2], In 1996, the national park was listed as a Ramsar site of international importance. They consume mainly fish but have been known to consume carrion, birds, monkeys and even crocodile hatchlings when prey is scarce. Virunga National Park - Africa Geographic It was the first national park to be established on the continent of Africa, primarily to protect the mountain gorillas living in the forests of the Virunga Massif. Virunga National Park - Wikipedia While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Carefully selected conservation projects one-stop, seamless, transparent donations APP subscribers only. In elevation, it ranges from 680 m (2,230 ft) in the Semliki River valley to 5,109 m (16,762 ft) in the Rwenzori Mountains.From north to south it extends approximately 300 km (190 mi), largely along the international borders with Uganda and . Omissions? To the northeast the Ruwenzori Range soars to more than 16,000 feet (4,880 metres). On several occasions a lava stream reached the shores of Lake Kivu. (800,000 hectares) an area roughly three times the size of Luxembourg. Virunga National Park | Overview, Location, History, & Facts The ICCN (Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature) is the branch of the Congolese government tasked with the protection and conservation of protected areas in the DRC. The okapi is the closest known relative to the giraffe and looks very much as though someone crossed a zebra, antelope, and giraffe. Located in East Africa, the Virunga Mountains are a series of volcanoes that extends along northern part of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), and Uganda. Seven mountain gorillas from the Rugendo family are murdered. Virunga National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage Site internationally recognized for its exceptional wildlife and habitats. The mountain range is a branch of the Albertine Rift Mountains, which border the western branch of the East African Rift. The mountains are part of the Albertine rift located at the Great Rift Valley one of the world's largest natural features. In altitude, this sector ranges from 680m (2,230ft) in the Puemba River valley to the highest peak of Mount Stanley at 5,109m (16,762ft) within 30km (19mi). [45] The range runs east-west, perpendicular to the rift valley in which lie Lakes Kivu and Edward. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. The park is home to abundant wildlife, including elephants, whose numbers began decreasing in the late 20th century, and lions, which also face various threats. In the wake of serious security issues, including the murder of park rangers and the kidnapping of tourists, park management announced in June 2018 that the park would be closed to tourists until at least the end of the year. Eastern Congo is one of the most economically disadvantaged places on earth, and competition for the Parks rich natural resources has always been fierce. 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. Nyiragongo has erupted over thirty times since the end of the 19th century. [46] Getting to the summit of these mountains takes an average of 5 . They have significantly shaped the national park's diverse habitats and wildlife. 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.

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