Nyungwe National Park revealed as an incredible paradise for primates

Nyungwe National Park, a natural forest located in the southwest of Rwanda, is a home of many primates found in Africa due to living conditions and enough food for these animals. Established as a natural reserve in 1933, the forest became a national park in 2005 in a bid for the government to bolster the protection of its endangered species.

Covering an area of 101,900 hectares, Nyungwe National Park stands as the largest block of natural forest in the region. It is home of a dozen species of primates, more than 300 bird species, 200 identified orchids, and nearly 300 butterfly species.

According to Mr. Protais Mbonigaba, Nyungwe’s Park Manager, in terms of Primates, Nyungwe National Park is special because it is a home of 13 species equivalent to 6% of the species found in Africa or 12% excluding the island of Madagascar.

 “It is a very important thing for people who practice ecosystem-based tourism. If you go into one country in a forest like Nyungwe and you can find 12% of the species that you could see in any other parks Africa, that’s extraordinary. This can make tourists decide to visit places where they will find more species, first and going elsewhere for looking for what they haven’t seen in Nyungwe National Park”, he noted.

In Rwanda, there are 15 species of primates, only two of them are not found in Nyungwe National Park. These are mountain gorillas and golden monkeys which used to be there but for a long time, there is no evidence of their existence.

“It’s said that Nyungwe National Park is the paradise of primates in Rwanda, Africa and the region”, he emphasized.

Among the primates that are found in Nyungwe National Park include Colobus Monkeys (Inkomo). They are found in about eight countries in Africa but they are special to Nyungwe where they have a large family. Family members can reach 400-600 whereas in other countries the small family is composed of 20 members compared to 40 of the big one.

This depends on good living conditions and enough food in this park, Mr. Mbonigaba has highlighted while addressing the media practitioners who attended the training on “Environmental Journalism for Sustainable Impact” organized by Rwanda Environmental Journalists in partnership with Fojo Media Institute on July 22, 2024, in Nyamagabe District.

Others include Owl-faced monkey (Igihinyage), Olive Baboon (Igitera), Grey-cheeked Mangabey, Velvet monkey, Red-tailed Monkey, chimpanzee, Blue Monkey, etc.

Nyungwe National Park is located in five districts, namely, Rusizi, Nyamasheke and Karongi in Western Province; Nyaruguru and Nyamagabe in Southern Province.

In 1958 and 1973, it reduced in size to 150 squares kilometers due to wild fires and deforestation and animals such elephants and buffaloes were killed.

During the Genocide in 1994, the research facilities that were set in Uwinka were destructed and some of the staff of the former ORTN (the institution which was in charge of Nyungwe Management) were killed. In 1997s, Nyungwe Park was also damaged by wildfires.

“Some of the activities we are focusing on, include restoration because such a forest once damaged, restoration process takes a long time. Efforts put into its preservation have led to Nyungwe National Park being inscribed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as the first site in 2023”, Mr. Mbonigaba said.

African Parks which is managing Nyungwe National Park is a non-governmental organization, established in 2000 and headquarted in Johannesburg, South Africa. It manages 22 protected areas in 12 countries as of May 2023, and employs more than 5000 staff.