- River Gambia National Park
Infobox_protected_area | name = River Gambia National Park
iucn_category = II
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location = flag|Gambia
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area =585 hectares
established =1978
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governing_body =River Gambia National Park is a national park in
The Gambia .Topography
Established in 1978 , River Gambia National Park is located in
Niamina East district ofCentral River Division . It lies on the left bank of theGambia River . The park includes the convert|585|ha|acre|lk=on|abbr=onBaboon Islands archipelago, which consists of one large and four small islands. The national park is not open to the public.River Gambia National Park is adjacent to
Nyassang Forest Park . On some maps, the two parks are represented together as one area.Flora
The vegetation on the flat Baboon Islands is typical of a
tropical rainforest in the form of ariparian forest .Fauna
Since 1979, River Gambia National Park is site of a chimpanzee-
reintroduction project, conducted by the "Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project" (CRP) under the direction of Stella Marsden (daughter ofEddie Brewer ). Chimpanzees confiscated from the illegal animal trade are reintroduced into the wild in the park. Marsden was awarded theOrder of the British Empire for her work. [ [http://www.panafricanprimates.org/News_Gambia_Chimpanzee_Expert.htm http://www.panafricanprimates.org] Gambia Chimpanzee expert Marsden earns O.B.E. from Queen Elizabeth] Prior to 1979, the primates were raised inAbuko Nature Reserve . Today, several chimpanzee groups live unmolested by humans on the three largest river islands (435 ha, 77 ha und 53 ha). [ [http://www.panafricanprimates.org/gambia.htm Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Association]http://www.panafricanprimates.org ] As of July 2006, there are 77 specimens. In the wild, chimpanzees became extinct in The Gambia in the early 20th century.For the protection of the animals and visitors, entry onto the islands is not permitted, as chimpanzees can be highly aggressive towards humans. Exceptions are possible only with governmental approval. Even travel by boat around the islands was drastically reduced in 1998. In the past, some attempted to steal chimpanzees from the park.
Apart from the
Common Chimpanzee ("Pan troglodytes verus"), River Gambia National Park is also home to theGuinea Baboon ("Papio papio"),Green Monkey ("Chlorocebus sabaeus"),Western Red Colobus ("Piliocolobus badius"), andmarmoset s ("Callithrix"). Other mammals include the prolificwarthog ("Phacochoerus africanus") and somehippopotamus es ("Hippopotamus amphibius"), which have become rare in The Gambia. In addition, the park is home to theaardvark ("Orycteropus afer senegalensis"),Honey Badger ("Mellivora capensis"),Serval ("Leptailurus serval brachyura"),Haussa Genet ("Genetta thierryi"),African Clawless Otter ("Aonyx capensis"), andWest African Manatee ("Trichechus senegalensis").Of the antelopes, there is the
Bushbuck ("Tragelaphus scriptus"),Maxwell's Duiker ("Cephalophus maxwellii"), andCommon Duiker ("Sylvicapra grimmia"). Reptiles are likewise plentiful, and include theNile Crocodile ("Crocodylus niloticus"), snakes, and lizards. The bird life is equally species-rich.Notes
Further reading
* Brewer, Stella. (1981) "Die Affenschule: neue Wege d. Wildtierforschung". Moewig, München [i.e. Rastatt] . ISBN 3-8118-3117-8.
* Jahn, Rosel. (1997) "Gambia: Reiseführer mit Landeskunde; mit einem Reiseatlas", Mai, Dreieich. ISBN 3-87936-239-4.External links
* [http://www.chimprehab.com/ Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Trust Gambia]
* [http://www.africanculture.dk/gambia/pa_grnp.htm River Gambia National Park]
* [http://home3.inet.tele.dk/mcamara/nature/baboon_island.html River Gambia National Park] Momodou Camara
* [http://www.travelpoort.nl/c_209.html Visit Badi Mayo]
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