Niassa Reserve | |
---|---|
Location | Mozambique |
Nearest city | Mecula, Cobue |
Coordinates | 12°08′35″S37°40′08″E / 12.14306°S 37.66889°E |
Area | 42,000 km² |
Established | 1954 |
Niassa Reserve is a nature reserve in Cabo Delgado Province and Niassa Province, Mozambique. Covering over 42,000 square kilometres (10,000,000 acres), it is the largest protected area in the country. The reserve is part of the Trans-Frontier Conservation Area and links to the Tanzanian Lukwika-Lumesule Game Reserve. [1] It will connect to the Lake Niassa Reserve when it is completed. [2] [ failed verification ]
Founded in 1954 while Mozambique was still Portuguese East Africa, Niassa did not receive effective protection until the end of the Mozambican Civil War with the signing of the Rome General Peace Accords. Since then, the Mozambican government has set up management systems in order to protect the ecology of northern Mozambique.
The relative isolation and lack of development that protects the park also hurts its potential for tourism. Mozambican officials admit constraints to development of the park's appeal include "remoteness and difficult access ... lack of any established tourism infrastructure and the logistical hardship associated with starting an enterprise under these conditions." [3]
Since 2005, the protected area is considered a Lion Conservation Unit. [4]
The northern border is formed by the Rovuma River, which also forms the border with Tanzania. Niassa Reserve is twice the size of Kruger National Park and comparable to the total area of Wales, Denmark or Massachusetts. [5]
Niassa is part of the Eastern miombo woodlands, which also encompasses parts of Tanzania and Malawi. The reserve is one of the largest miombo woodland preserves in the world, with miombo forest covering half of the preserve. The remainder is mostly open savannah, with some wetlands and isolated patches of forest. 95% of the preserve's biomass is vegetation, which includes 21 types of plant matter and 191 species of trees and shrubs. [5]
Niassa Preserve boasts an African wild dog population of over 350, significant for an endangered mammal with a global population estimated at 8000. The park boasts a sable antelope population of over 12000, an elephant population of 16000, over 400 bird species, and large populations of Cape buffalo, impala, wildebeest, zebra and leopards. The area has three endemic species - the Niassa wildebeest, Boehm's zebra, and Johnston's Impala. [5]
The reserve is home to Mecula Mountain, located at the center of the park with a height of 1,441 metres (4,728 ft).[ citation needed ]
The Serengeti ecosystem is a geographical region in Africa, spanning the Mara and Arusha Regions of Tanzania. The protected area within the region includes approximately 30,000 km2 (12,000 sq mi) of land, including the Serengeti National Park and several game reserves. The Serengeti hosts the world's most massive land animal migration, which helps secure it as one of the Seven Natural Wonders of Africa.
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Tarangire National Park is a national park in Tanzania's Manyara Region. The name of the park originates from the Tarangire River that crosses the park. The Tarangire River is the primary source of fresh water for wild animals in the Tarangire Ecosystem during the annual dry season. The Tarangire Ecosystem is defined by the long-distance migration of wildebeest and zebras. During the dry season thousands of animals concentrate in Tarangire National Park from the surrounding wet-season dispersal and calving areas.
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The Eastern miombo woodlands (AT0706) are an ecoregion of grassland and woodland in northern Mozambique, southern Tanzania, and southeastern Malawi.
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The Southern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, also known as the Southern Swahili coastal forests and woodlands, is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of eastern Africa. It is a southern variation of Northern Zanzibar-Inhambane coastal forest mosaic. The ecoregion supports habitats of forest, savanna and swamps. The southern portion of the ecoregion is not as well studied due to the 1977-1992 civil war in Mozambique.
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The Lugenda or Lujenda is a river of northern Mozambique. It flows in a south-north direction from Lake Amaramba/Lake Chiuta and is the largest tributary of the Ruvuma River. It joins the Luambala River at 13°26′12″S36°18′20″E. The river valley is reported to be only 800 feet (240 m) above sea level. North of Lake Chiuta, those on the west bank call it the Msambiti River. At one point, the Lugenda splits into several streams with islands between them, some of whom are populated such as the island Achemponda.
The Messalo is a major river of northeastern Mozambique. It flows through Niassa Province and Cabo Delgado Province, passes near Chai, and flows into the Mozambique Channel of the Indian Ocean at Quiterajo beach at 11°40′25″S40°26′25″E. The Messalo River is 530 km (330 mi) in length while the Messalo River Basin is 24,000 km2 (9,300 sq mi) in size. The river flooded its banks in March 2000 during the 2000 Mozambique flood.
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