Tiwai Island

IUCN Category IV - Habitat-/Species Management Area

F2

Tiwai Iceland is a wildlife refuge in southeastern Sierra Leone. It means " Big Island " in the language of Mende. Besides Outamba - Kilimi National Park Tiwai among the best known protected areas and tourist attractions of Sierra Leone. The island is located in the Moa.

The small island has the world's highest density of primates.

The Park

Introduction

The reserve is managed locally only one in Sierra Leone and supported by the Environmental Foundation for Africa.

End of the 19th century, half of the island of Queen Nyarroh of Barri was away from love to the Chief of Koya and stage, established as a protected area. In the 1980s it was officially proclaimed.

Check-in

The park is accessible by an all-terrain vehicle over the city Bo.

Accommodation and facilities

At various points in the protected area there are tent sites, but they are very spartan. It is made no bedding or linens. Water is available, but not for drinking. In a kilometer away village can buy. In the accommodation, even local food is prepared.

In the Visitors Centre there is a small gift shop and a constantly updated map with the last observation sites of rare species.

Activities

• At the north end of the island there is a small and sandy beach. Here you can swim with beware of crocodiles and hippos.
• Boat trips are available from the Visitors Center on the Moa River.
• Guided walks are the highlight of a trip to Tiwai Iceland; more than 50 miles of hiking trails are available.

Fauna and Flora

In Wildlife Reserve there are more than 135 species of birds. Below are eight different types of hornbills. The eleven different species of primates make Tiwai to the main monkey sanctuary on earth. The chimpanzees of Tiwai are among the smartest and most intensive use different tools. Also worth seeing are the extremely rare pygmy hippos.

More than 700 plant species have been recorded on the island.