Nyika National Park

Size and Landscape

This is the second smallest National Park of Zambia. It covers only 80 km2 and is situated in Chama District. This park is adjacent to the Malawi Nyika National Park with which it shares a common boundary along the international border. This park also acquired its status of a National Park in 1972.

Its elevation vary from 1,295 to 2225 metres above sea – level, making Nyika the highest altitude park in the Zambian National Park system. Although the annual rainfall is only 1,000 mm, cloud and mist at ground level are common during the dry season from June to September. This makes the Park to be well watered through out the year.

Nyika is a strikingly beautiful Park of montane grassland and relict forest patches. The typical plateau terrain comprises steeply undulating grassland with forest patches lying in areas of lower ground. The park is probably the most beautiful scenically and has no equal in Zambia.

The relict patches of montane forest consist of unusual vegetational complexes. There is firstly a dry type of evergreen forest; secondly, a moist riparian form; and lastly, a wet seasonal swamp phase. Each of these merge with the next. None of the relic forests is larger than twenty hectares and most are considerably smaller. The two largest ones are the Chowo and Manjanjere forests. There is a wide range of herbaceous plants, which provide a striking array of flowers through out the year. Ochids are present in particular abundance and variety.

Habitat and animal population

The common small animal fauna includes the four-striped grass rat, the black and red squirrel, the two-spotted palm civet and three species of swamp rat. The larger mammals include moloney’s monkey, klipspringer, reedbuck, bushbuck, blue duiker, zebra, roan antelope, eland, elephant and leopard.

The common birds include secretary bird, auger buzzard, green loerie, white nected raven, black-eyed bulbul, common stonechart, African boubou, fiscal shrike, common waxbill. Several species of brightly patterned butterflies and moths also occur, which contributes to the colorfulness’ of this park.

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