Zakouma National Park safeguards 3,000km2 (300,000 hectares) of savanna habitat, marking the transition between Africas central rainforests to the south and the inhospitable Sahara Desert to the north. Advertising: Tai National Park, Cote D'Ivoire, March 2023 29th October 2022; New Trip Report: Great Squirrel Safari, USA, . Conditions in the park vary massively with season during the rainy season the park floods, whereas during the dry season, water is limited to the series of pans in the East of the park. National Park. For 6 straight days we will uncover 864, 869 acres of raw, wild Africa. [9], More than 100 elephants were killed in 2006. Zakouma became known as a place of safety, a source of employment, and a service provider to communities previously desperately in need. Just south of the Sahara, Zakouma is the northernmost of the great African national parks. African Parks manages all of these protected areas. Zakouma National Park is a 1,158-square-mile (3,000 km 2) national park in southeastern Chad, straddling the border of Gura Region and Salamat Region. Share. [9][25] The park now has more than 500 elephants, as of February 2017,[6] possibly the largest single herd in Africa. Networking & debating APP subscribers only, TRUSTED CONSERVATION PROJECTS Understand History Zakouma National Park has made a significant impact within the realm of deep, immersive and bespoke safari travel over the last few years. [16][17], During a study of the park's terrestrial small mammals, nine rodent and two shrew species were recorded. Location Overview Zakouma National ParkZakouma National Park is a very substantial and important conservation area, remotely located in the southeast of C. Zakouma National Park is a unique ecosystem and a remarkable conservation success story. [23][26][27] Seven elephants were reportedly killed in 2007, marking a decrease compared to previous years because of improved efforts to protect Zakouma and its wildlife. [1][29][30] Following the signature of a memorandum of understanding between the governments of Chad and South Africa in 2017, six black rhinos were provided by the latter nation's Department of Environmental Affairs to Zakouma under a custodianship agreement. Since 2010 joint-managed by African Parks and the Chadian government . Zakouma is one of the most famous and well visited national parks in Chad because of its royal big elephant concentration and other attractions. 0 rating. Zakouma is closed to visitors during this period because it becomes almost inaccessible. With your help, we can recover lions and restore their irreplaceable landscapes across Africa. For around half of the year the Park is dry and hot, hence wildlife crowds around swiftly disappearing water sources. Between 2002-2010, poachers rampaged through the park, slaughtering 4,000 elephants at a rate of 500 each year. Contact one of our Destination Specialists to start planning your journey to Chad. This was Chad's first national park, it covers an area of 3,000 km Unlikely to fill mainstream bucket lists, Zakouma is right if you like things hot, untamed and untouched! While wildlife in many parts of Central Africa is in terminal decline, Zakouma is a beacon of hope. A SPECTACULAR GAME SIGHT TO SEE FOR ANY TRAVELLER! -20.029858. Zakouma is also home to what experts believe is the largest number of North African ostriches a subspecies that is all but extinct in most of its historic range. I worried that I might get stuck somewhere on my journey home. [1][3][9][11] Following the attack, additional bases were built, a second aircraft was purchased, and a rapid response team called the "Mambas" (after the snake of the same name) was formed to enhance security. It is located in one of the park's best game-viewing areas. The early dry season offers the best scenic photography as the surroundings are still green, but the later dry season ensures the best wildlife sightings. Located in Zakouma National Park and offering an intimate and bespoke experience of one of the last Central African savannah ecosystems, Camp Nomade is a seasonal and first-class mobile camp. There are around 66 mammal species in the park, including 50 percent of the world's population of Kordofan giraffe and the Central African Savannah buffalo. The area now holds 1,200 Kordofan giraffes, which is 60% of the worlds remaining population. Zakouma National Park is one of Africas most striking conservation success stories. It is situated in the southern part of Chad. To build on this success, African Parks was invited in 2017 by the government to manage the Siniaka-Minia Wildlife Reserve (SMWR) and Bahr Salamat Faunal Reserve, including adjoining wildlife corridors, giving African Parks the mandate to manage the entire Greater Zakouma Ecosystem (GZE) of 28,162 km2 and have an even greater impact for wildlife and local communities. Brought back from the brink by the pioneering conservation work of Africa Parks this rich and diverse park is both unusual and rewarding. The Parks law enforcement and community engagement strategies were immediately overhauled and the results were palpable. Zakouma National Park is located in the Salamat Region of south-eastern Chad. Visitors with a taste for adventure can rest assured that they are playing a role in protecting one of the continents most important ecosystems. Covering more than 3000 km 2 of land in southern Chad's southern Sudano-Sahelian vegetation zone, and part of the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem, Zakouma National Park was given its protected status in 1963 and is the country's oldest protected park. If Zakouma continues its upward trajectory, both white and black rhinos could once again move through its savanna habitats. Prior to that, poachers would attack when rangers were not able to reach remote parts of the park due to the impassable mud. Major credit is due to both the Chadian Government and African Parks. [15] A pack of nine African wild dogs were photographed in the southwest portion of this Zakouma National Park in November 2015. Rangers from Zakouma National Park sit on the back of a vehicle as they transport the black rhino to their holding pens on May 4, 2018. The lion population has yet to increase in Zakouma, but there is much potential for it. Zakouma is 3,000 square kilometres, a sixth of the size of the Kruger. Today, Zakouma is successfully protecting a variety of species including, elephant, giraffe, roan antelope and Lelwels hartebeest and has witnessed an increase in buffalo numbers from just 220 animals in 1986 to over 10,000 today. Recent research by the Giraffe Conservation Foundation suggests that there may be five different species of giraffe, of which the Northern giraffe (which includes the Kordofan sub-species) is the second rarest, with just 5,600 individuals remaining. [9] Three weeks later, the poachers attacked the Zakouma outpost at Heban and shot and killed multiple guards. IUCN category II: National Park. Sign up to our newsletter to get all the latest news & info. Zakouma National Park is one of Africa's most recent examples of a park pulled from the brink that has rapidly returned to a vibrant and spectacular wilderness teeming with life and bursting with biodiversity. The mandate agreement was signed in June 2010, and African Parks began managing the park and its periphery that October. In 2007, militia forces attacked the park's headquarters for its stockpile of 1.5 tons of ivory, and killed three rangers. The temperatures regularly reach over 40C during the dry season, and there are sections of the park where tsetse flies congregate. [10] Camp Nomade, a mobile safari camp, opened in 2016. Central Kalahari Game Reserve Chobe National Park Kgalagadi Transfrontier Park Kwando, Linyanti & Selinda Reserves Makgadikgadi Pans National Park Mashatu Game Reserve Moremi Game Reserve Nxai Pan National Park Okavango Delta. Please click on this logo for more information. Safaris, discussions & donations that make a real difference in Africa. Zakouma National Park. The non-profit conservation organisation took over management in 2010 (in partnership with the government). 3,000 km. Uncover 350 000 hectares of raw, wild Africa. To visit Zakouma National Park, you need to reserve one of a few accommodation options, for which safaris are included. 10 50 52 N, 19 38 52 E. There are three entrance gates. [5][31], In 2016, more than 5,000 locals stayed at the park's camps. Rangers from Zakouma National Park sit on the back of a vehicle as they transport the black rhino to their holding pens on May 4, 2018. Rangers at Zakouma National Park stand bemused at the black rhino that arrived at Zakouma National Park on May 4, 2018. Gates of paradise: The entrance to Zakouma National Park, Chad. Zakouma National Park is one of Africas most recent examples of a park pulled from the brink that has rapidly returned to a vibrant and spectacular wilderness teeming with life and bursting with biodiversity. In 2002, there were over 4,350 elephants in Zakouma, but this plummeted to just 545 by 2011. Earlier . Since 2010 the park has been managed by African Parks in agreement with the government of Chad, but in the years prior to AP's intervention, the park was at the mercy of violent groups, with an estimated 95% of the elephant population slaughtered. Garamba National Park, DRC . The only exceptions are the granite inselbergs located in the southwestern section of the park. 2021 marked five straight years without a single recorded poached elephant with 636 elephants being counted in the park - a 17% increase since 2010. The wetlands form part of the RAMSAR site Inundation Plains of Bahr Auok and Salamat, one of the largest RAMSAR sites in the world. Chad - Discover Zakouma Tour - an 8 day Small Group Tour. This vast ecosystem is primarily flat, with perennial river systems and marshy floodplains lined by patches of verdant gallery forest, woodlands, and savanna grasslands. The black-breasted barbet is at the top of the Most Wanted list for most birders, the Abyssinian ground hornbill a close second. Starting from US$ 155 Per Person Per Night. The three big cats lion, leopard, and cheetah are all present in increasing numbers, while a visitor might also see smaller species such as serval, caracal, jackal, and pale fox. By 2010, a traumatized population of 454 elephants remained (down from an estimated 22,000 in the 1970s). Another theory is that during the driest time of the year, the lions become so concentrated around the remaining water that some competitive mechanisms limit their numbers. The greater Zakouma landscape includes the national park and extends over an enormous 30,693km2 (over 3 million hectares) of Sudano-Sahelian vegetation (characterized by shrubland, tall grasses, and Acacia now Vachellia woodlands). [2] Following the nonprofit conservation organization African Parks' assumption of management in 2010, and its extensive law enforcement and community engagement efforts, poaching dramatically declined and the herd has since stabilized, and has started to breed again. Yet, for some, the rustic accommodation, remote location and hot weather is exactly what make Zakouma sought-after a truly unique, off-the-beaten-track adventure where their visit directly contributes towards an ongoing conservation success story. Africas remaining intact ecosystems are a marvel of circumstance, both ancient and modern, wild and human. It was the arrival of African Parks at the invitation of the Chadian government that prompted the parks gradual return to its former glory. Experts estimate that there are only around 2,300 of these giraffe left in Africa, and around 60% are found in Zakouma. A routine aerial surveillance flight over the western part of Chad's Zakouma National Park has uncovered the deaths of two female elephants and their calves in what officials say is the first . One can reach Chad relatively easily from Paris or Addis Ababa and it makes a wonderful combination with Ethiopia. [12], Birds include ostriches,[2] cranes, eagles, egrets, herons, ibis, pelicans, and storks. [3][29] During 20152016, African Parks initiated plans to reintroduce black rhinos to the park. I was a little nervous heading out to Chad because, although only a few cases of coronavirus had been recorded in Africa at that time (and none in either my home country of Zimbabwe or Chad), the world was beginning to panic. Very difficult. As many as 4,000 elephants were killed between 2002 and 2010, but since African Parks assumed management of Zakouma in 2010 poaching has been practically eliminated. After poaching and civil war ravaged the area's wildlife, the animal population has been steadily increasing. Sadly only two survived their first few months, the rest succumbing to the various strains of relocation. Rated. Six black rhinos were also reintroduced to the Zakouma area in 2018. [1] [2] [3] Zakouma is the nation's oldest national park, declared a national park in 1963 by presidential decree, giving it the highest form of protection available under the nation's laws. Spotted hyenas are present in small numbers, their whoops and cackles a warning to their rare and silent striped hyena cousins also found in Zakouma. Tentative World Heritage Site (Parc national de Zakouma, 2005-) IUCN protected areas category. As one of three national parks in Chad, Zakouma National Park forms an integral part of the conservation of flora and fauna in the region. Chad. [9] Tinga Lodge, constructed by the government, opened in 1968 and houses up to 48 people. The latter can be heard at dawn, serenading visitors with a deep booming call that carries across the Sahel. Once a stronghold for well over 4,000 elephants, by 2010 the park had lost 90% of its elephants to ivory poachers, while further havoc was wreaked on the park and local communities by poachers on horseback. Sofala, Mozambique. Another theory is that the very high density of baboons results in high levels of lion cub mortality. A baby elephant is always a joy to behold no matter the circumstances, but knowing the history of the park and the value of each youngster is guaranteed to make a sighting even more heartwarming. Since then, populations have begun to increase once more as a result of the work of the resident rangers. The Lion Recovery Fund (LRF) has invested heavily in APs work in Chad, so I wanted to see that work myself to understand their local conservation issues and assess their needs going forward. Located in south eastern Chad, you'll find Zakouma National Park, a true wildlife treasure. Double chalets at Tinga Camp cost from US$156 (120) per person per night and include twice-daily safaris and all meals. The website www.naturalworldsafaris.com is owned and operated by Natural World Safaris Ltd, 130A Western Road, Brighton, BN1 2LA. But Zakouma has another astounding fact lurking behind its bushes, thriving prides of Lions at the time when the King of the Jungle Population is diminishing around the globe. Roan , tiang , amazing birding, local villages and cultures complete this very special picture. . Situated in the mid-zone between the Sahara and Africa's sub-tropical rainforests, its fertile floodplains and year-round water quickly turned the park into a magnet for Central and West African biodiversity. Zakouma National Park, along with the Greater Zakouma Ecosystem, is a seasonal marshland which constitutes one of the last refuges for wildlife in Central Africa. Vast herds of ungulates can be found in Zakouma. Characterised by perennial river systems, rich floodplains, and seasonal wildlife migrations, Zakouma National Park is a unique story of revival for central Africa. Zakouma is an African success story. These wetlands attract a large number of birds rendering this park a paradise for observation. There are currently limited accommodation options in Zakouma: a couple of basic campsites and Tinga Camp a basic and budget-friendly camp originally constructed in 1965. Search from Zakouma National Park Photos stock photos, pictures and royalty-free images from iStock. Today, a safari to this unknown country and its dusty hidden gems ranks among the best on Earth. Landing in Ndjamena, I was immediately struck by the 110-degree heat. [28] In 2015, CNN said there were no elephants poached in the park since late 2011, and no ivory removed from Zakouma in the last five years. [1][9][6] The European Union pledged 6.9m in 2011 to help protect the park for five years. My journey home from Zakouma was somewhat anxious. Other species have also made steady recoveries. A diverse range of bird species reside within the park, with a total of 388 recorded, including some 40 raptor species. [1] CNN, The New York Times, and The Times have said there were an estimated 4,3004,350 elephants in Zakouma in 2002, and approximately 450 elephants in the park between late 2012 and April 2015. The author travelled independently. Its habitat is varied and in parts reminiscent of Kafue and Luangwa in Zambia and also Mana Pools in Zimbabwe. In 2010, the Chadian Government and European Union approached African Parks to assume management responsibility of the park with the aim of protecting the regions incredible biodiversity and to create a space place for people and wildlife. The Chadian government has been committed to protecting this natural heritage even through many years of conflict. In 2004, Gorongosa National Park was re-envisioned as a "human-rights park"one that both protects wildlife and invests in nearby communities. The major threat came . 2021 Lion Recovery Fund | Registered 501(c)(3) EIN: 30-0108469. This ecosystem includes the Bahr-Salamat Faunal Reserve (13,000km2 130,000 hectares), which surrounds the park, as well as Siniaka-Minia Faunal Reserve (4,260km2 42,600 hectares) and a further 10,000km2 of adjoining wildlife corridors. Choose your favorite zakouma national park designs and purchase them as wall art, home decor, phone cases, tote bags, and more! [12][13], A variety of large mammals have been recorded in Zakouma, such as buffalo, elephant, Kordofan giraffe, hartebeest, leopard, and lion. This resulted in an immediate injection of expertise and funding to the area, allowing for a major upscaling of both anti-poaching efforts and engagement of the local community. in . Zakouma is Chad's oldest national park,[4] established by the nation's government in 1963. The atrocities committed are easily within living memory for most herd members yet, while still occasionally nervous, they are sufficiently relaxed in the company of rangers and tourists to allow for intimate glimpses into their world. Zakoumas extraordinary recovery only adds to the appeal of a journey through this magnificent landscape. The wetland areas attract enormous flocks of pelicans, storks, geese and black-crowned cranes, especially as the water starts to recede during the dry season and life concentrates around the remaining pools. Zakouma National Park is a 3,000-km protected area in the south of Chad. Youll also find Defassa waterbuck, oribi, Bohor reedbuck, duiker, and warthog. [10], Zakouma National Park: a photographic experience, "Zakouma: a life-line for Chad's elephants", "Flying Over Zakouma National Park in Chad", "Conservation is war: Inside the battle to save Africa's elephants", "Chad marks Zakouma National Park anniversary", "Chad extends key conservation area in national park", "Chad Zakouma National Park in Africa Offers Elephants Refuge from Poachers", "The Rare African Park Where Elephants Are Thriving", "Rangers in Isolated Central Africa Uncover Grim Cost of Protecting Wildlife", "Chad battles poachers in war to save elephants", https://www.facebook.com/pg/AfricanParks/photos/?tab=album&album_id=678372425632099, "Black-breasted barbet spotted in Zakouma", "Breathing new life into Chad's Zakouma National Park", "Poachers slaughter 100 elephants in Chad", "Elephant Population Goes Down Alarmingly in Central Africa", "The country that brought its elephants back from the brink", "Chad elephants come under attack from ivory poachers", "How One Group Plans to Save Black Rhinos from Poachers in South Africa", "South Africa brings black rhinos back to Chad", "The Race to Stop Africa's Elephant Poachers", "Zakouma National Park: A conservation success story", "Zakouma National Park: celebrating 50 years", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Zakouma_National_Park&oldid=1086738846, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 8 May 2022, at 01:49. . [6] The park's anti-poaching strategy includes equipping approximately 60 rangers with GPS tracking units and radios to improve communications, mobility, and safety, as well as improving mobility through the use of horses and other vehicles. In Zakouma, the ebb and flow of life and animal movement is powered by the pulse of the wet and dry seasons. We need to find ways to increase and sustain support for conservation efforts in West and Central Africa, such as those undertaken by African Parks. Though African painted wolves (wild dogs) have yet to settle in the park, they have been glimpsed passing through it. 3 Wildlife spotting: excellent for elephant, lion and leopard viewing. During the wet season from June to October, the park receives an average of 850mm of rain which inundates much of the park and floods the roads. These population pioneers were the first to set foot in Chad since rhinos were exterminated over half a century ago. Zakouma National Park was opened in the 1950s to provide a refuge for the wildlife populations who were, and still are, at risk from poaching. The drive from N'Djamena to the park is roughly 900 km (560 miles) and takes around 10 to 12 hours, in normal, dry conditions. It takes a flight or two or three to get there and knowing a little French or Arabic might help once you've arrived. Il s'tend sur une superficie de prs de trois cent cinq mille (305 000) hectares. Discover the magic of its fauna and flora,. [14] It's estimated that 60% of 2,000 Kordofan giraffe remaining on earth are live in Zakouma National Park. 300,000. The coronavirus pandemic had sparked panic around the world and my flight out of the park was delayed by the dusty Harmattan winds from the Sahara, rendering visibility too poor to fly. [10], Elephant protection efforts expanded outside the park's boundaries in 2012, and an airstrip was constructed in Heban to make monitoring of the migrating animals easier. Zakouma held a ceremony to commemorate the occasion, which was attended by President Idriss Dby and included a ceremonial destruction of ivory by burning a pyre with a ton elephant tusks to discourage poaching. Zakouma National Park is located in the Salamat Region of southeastern Chad, and covers an area of roughly 3000 square kms. [5], Zakouma National Park is part of the Sudano-Sahelian vegetation zone,[12] and has shrubland, high grasses, and Acacia forests. Very easy. Find high-quality stock photos that you won't find anywhere else. Zakouma National Park is a 1,158-square-mile (3,000km2) national park in southeastern Chad, straddling the border of Gura Region and Salamat Region. VISITING ZAKOUMA NATIONAL PARK IS ADVISED DURING THE DRY SEASON, BETWEEN FEBRUARY AND APRIL, DUE TO THE WILDLIFE CONGREGATING IN THE EASTERN HALF OF THE PARK WHERE THE PANS AND FLOODPLAINS PROVIDE WATER AND GRAZING. A lion passes by some Kordofan giraffes in Zakouma. While wildlife in many parts of Central Africa is in terminal decline, Zakouma is a beacon of hope. The wetlands form part of the RAMSAR site Inundation Plains of Bahr Auok and Salamat, which is one of the largest in the world, and acts as a breeding area for the birds. The mammal life is matched and possibly eclipsed by the parks avifauna. Area. Zakouma is the largest employer in the region and provides additional opportunities for local income generation by facilitating the local procurement of park and tourism camp supplies and developing commercial community projects, such as honey harvesting and shea butter production. The Zakouma National Park is today one of the last examples of the Sudano-Sahelian ecosystem of all Africa. African lions are under threat across their entire range, with fewer . Since African Parks' involvement in Zakouma National Park in 2010, this now serves as one of their greatest success stories. The reserves act as vital buffer zones while adding to the space available to burgeoning numbers of wildlife. Patience is always necessary in Africa no matter the destination. To help with this expansion, the LRF provided AP with a grant to conduct surveys to identify the core wildlife areas on which to focus the expansion of their management and with which to make the case for an elevation of protection status. In keeping with what is rapidly becoming an African Parks tradition, they set about protecting the remaining wildlife and working closely with local communities (which has been fundamental to Zakoumas success) to the lay foundations for the parks long-term survival. Zakouma National Park is managed by African Parks in partnership with the Chadian Government. With law restored and security reclaimed, tourists have begun visiting Zakouma to witness its abundant wildlife. Zakouma National Park is located in the southeastern region of Chad.
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