W National Park

Infobox_protected_area | name = W Transborder Park
iucn_category = II

---

caption = IUCN Protected Areas WAP overview
locator_x =
locator_y =
location = Niger-Burkina Faso-Benin
nearest_city = Kandi (Benin), Diapaga (Burkina), Tapoa (Niger)
lat_degrees = 12
lat_minutes = 31
lat_seconds = 31
lat_direction = N
long_degrees = 2
long_minutes = 39
long_seconds = 48
long_direction = E
area = 10,000 km²
established = August 4, 1954
visitation_num =
visitation_year =
governing_body = ECOPAS, Governments of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Benin
world_heritage_site = 1996Infobox World Heritage Site
WHS = W National Park of Niger

---

State Party = NIG
Type = Natural
Criteria = vii, ix, x
ID = 749
Region = Africa
Year = 1996
Session = 20th
Link = http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/749

The W National Park (French: "W" du Niger") is a major national park in Niger around a meander in the River Niger shaped like a "W". While most of the park is in Niger it also extends through areas of Benin and Burkina Faso, and is governed by the three governments and ECOWAS's ecological management body ECOPAS. The three national parks operate under the name W Transborder Park (French:"Parc Regional W"). [ [http://www.parc-w.net/ parc-w.net] : Official site. ]

Creation

The W National Park of Niger was created by decree on 4 August 1954, and since 1996 has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Within Niger, the Park is listed as a National Park, IUCN Type II, and is part of a larger complex of Reserves and protected areas. These include the adjacent Dallol Bosso (Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) on the eastern bank of the Niger River and the partial overlap of the smaller "Parc national du W" (Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar). [ [http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=818&level=nat World Database on Protected Areas: W du Niger] ] The three parks are BirdLife International Important Bird Areas (IBAs)of types A1 and A3 (IBA codes IBA NE001, IBA BF008, and IBA BJ001).

Geography

In the three nations, the Regional park covers some 10,000 km² largely uninhabited by humans, having been until the 1970s a Malarial zone of wetlands formed by the delta of the Mekrou River with the Niger, broken by rocky hills. Historically, the area has been at one time a major area of human habitation, judged by the important archaeological sites (mostly tombs) found in the area.

Fauna

The park is known for its large mammals, including aardvarks, baboons, buffalo, caracal, cheetahs, elephants, hippopotamuses, leopards, lions, serval and warthogs. The park provides a home for the last known population of wild Giraffa camelopardalis peralta, and habitat for some of West Africa's last wild African Elephants. [ [http://www.saharaconservation.org/web/scf_niger_profile.php Sahara Conservation Fund (SCF)] 2006-2007] The W area is also known for its bird populations, especially transitory migrating species, with over 350 species identified in the park.

References

Literature

* Benoit M (1998) Statut et usage du sol en périphérie du parc national du "W" du Niger. Tome 1 : Contribution à l’étude du milieu naturel et des ressources végétales du canton de Tamou et du Parc du "W". ORSTOM, Niamey, Niger, 41 p. [http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_6/griseli1/010016709.pdf]
* Doussa S (2004) Les impacts de la culture cotonnière sur la gestion des ressources naturelles du Parc W. Maitrise, Université de Ouagadougou.
* Grégoire JM, Fournier A, Eva H & Sawadogo L (2003) Caractérisation de la dynamique des feux et de l’évolution du couvert dans le Parc du W: Burkina Faso, Bénin et Niger. 64 S. [http://www-tem.jrc.it/PDF_publis/2003/Gregoire_EUR_ParcW_2003.pdf]
* Koster S & Grettenberger J (1983) A preliminary survey of birds in Park W Niger. Malimbus, 5: 62-72
* Poche R (1976) A checklist of National Park W, Niger. Africa Mig. Field. 41(3): 113- 115.
* Poche R (1973) Niger's threatened park 'W'. Oryx 12(2): 216-222 .
* Rabeil T (2003) Distribution potentielles des grands mammifères dans le Parc du W au Niger. Doktorarbeit Univ. Paris VII. 463 S. [http://tel.ccsd.cnrs.fr/docs/00/04/71/22/PDF/tel-00006931.pdf]

External links

* [http://www.air-voyages-niger.com/Air%20pages/Niamey-Parc-W-Carte.html Detailed Nigerien government tourist map] .
* [http://www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas/data/wh/'w'-np.htm UNESCO World Heritage Site Data Sheet]
* [http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=749 UNESCO Page on W National Park]
* [http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=6719&m=0 BirdLife IBA Factsheet 'W' National Park] .
* [http://www.orleans.ird.fr/UR_US/ur136/site/activites/wniger.htm Le Parc du W du Niger (Niger, Burkina Faso, Bénin): Aires protégées Burkina Faso - Niger - Bénin] . Centre IRD d'Orléans Research Summary, University of Orleans (France)