Nsumbu National Park

Size and Landscape

Nsumbu National Park shares its northern boundary with the southwestern portion of Lake Tanganyika. It lies in the Kaputa and Mbala Districts of the Northern Province. It covers an area of 2063 km2.

The landscape is characterized by the lakeshore (Lake Tanganyika) escarpment, hills, rivers, swamps, flood plain, thickets, riverine forests and Miombo woodlands. The valleys open on the lake bear large Acacia albida and Trichilia roka trees. The sides of the valleys, the hills close to the lake and some parts of the plateau are covered with Combretum thickets.

Habitat and animal population

The large mammal fauna is very varied. It includes elephant, buffalo, puku, bushbuck, velvet monkey baboon, zebra, hartebeest, roan, sable, eland reedbuck common duiker and grysbok are usually seen. Though some of theses animals may not be seen as before because of the management problems that have befallen this park, such as little manpower, lack of both land and water transport, inadequate funds to maintain the roads and buildings.

The wildlife habitat in the Park is intact with the exception of a small portion in the North Western part, which is encroached with agricultural fields. The commonly sighted species include puku, warthog, sable antelope, roan antelope, buffalo, common duiker, bushbuck, elephant, reedbuck, eland, sitatunga, waterbuck, blue duiker, zebra and hartebeest. Other exceptional resources in the Park included the magnificent shore, bays and the hills.

 

:: Back to National parks page ::