River Gambia National Park

The River Gambia National Park ( RGNP ) is a national park in the West African nation of Gambia.

Topography

The 1978 established National Park is located in the Central River Region, District Niamina East. It lies on the left-hand bank of the River Gambia. This park includes the 585 acre island group Baboon Islands, comprising a major inland island and four smaller islands. The national park is not open to the public.

On the left side of the river, the Nyassang Forest Park and on. On some maps, both parks are represented as a common area.

Flora

Fauna

It takes place there since 1979 instead of a known chimpanzee reintroduction program, the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Project (CRP ), headed by Stella Marsden (daughter of Eddie Brewer ). Here confiscated from illegal animal trade chimpanzees were reintroduced from several countries. For her work Marsden became the British OBE awarded by the Queen. The primates reared in the Abuko Nature Reserve before 1979. Today, several groups of chimpanzees live unmolested by man, on the three major river islands (435 h, 77 h and 53 h). They multiplied in the third generation to 77 copies (as of July 2006). In the wild, chimpanzees have disappeared in the early 20th century in the Gambia.

To protect the animals and visitors, because chimpanzees can be very aggressive towards people entering the islands is not allowed. Exceptions are possible only with government approval. Even the circumnavigation of the islands with boats was drastically reduced in 1998. Animal dealer tried in the past on several occasions chimpanzees illegal to rob from the park.

In addition to the Commons chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes verus ) living in the park nor Guinea baboons (Papio papio ), Western vervet monkeys ( Chlorocebus sabaeus ) and West African colobus monkeys ( Piliocolobus badius ), the Guinea baboon is quite often represented. Other mammals are quite numerous warthogs ( Phacochoerus africanus) and a couple of Hippos ( Hippopotamus amphibius), which have become rare in The Gambia. Furthermore, here aardvark ( Orycteropus afer senegalensis ) live honey badgers ( Mellivora capensis ), serval ( serval Leptailurus brachyura ), Hausa genet ( Genetta thierryi ) Kapotter ( Aonyx capensis ), African manatee ( Trichechus senegalensis ).

Among the antelopes of the bushbuck (Tragelaphus scriptus ), Maxwell's duiker ( Cephalophus maxwellii ) and duiker ( Sylvicapra grimmia ) are to be found. Reptiles are also well represented, such as the Nile crocodile ( Crocodylus niloticus ), snakes and lizards. The avifauna is very diverse and rich in species.