Luengue-Luiana National Park

Coordinates: 16°35′S 21°50′E / 16.583°S 21.833°E / -16.583; 21.833
Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Luengue-Luiana National Park
Cuando Cubango Angola
Coordinates16°35′S 21°50′E / 16.583°S 21.833°E / -16.583; 21.833
Area42,000 km²
Established2011

Luengue-Luiana National Park (

national park in Angola
.

Geography

The park covers an area of 42,000 km².

Longa-Mavinga National Park.[2]

Ecology

The majority of the park is open woodland. The predominant trees are species of

Burkea, Baikiaea, Pterocarpus, and Erythrophleum in the southern portion of the park, and Erythrophleum, Burkea, Julbernardia, and Guibourtia in the northern areas of the park. The spacing of the trees varies considerably from place to place. The ground is covered with sparse grass, in part due to leached sandy soil which holds little water near the surface. There are small areas of dense woodland in the north-central area of the park.[2]

Along the Cuando River are expanses of seasonally- and perennially-flooded grasslands 10-15 kilometers wide, and smaller areas along the park's other rivers. Papyrus is predominant closest to the rivers and in deeper waters, with species of Phragmites and Miscanthus common in shallower water, upstream areas, and seasonally-dry areas.[2]

The park is home to a broad variety of wildlife, including large mammals like African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis), black rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), common eland (Taurotragus oryx), plains zebra (Equus quagga), African buffalo (Syncerus caffer), sable antelope (Hippotragus niger), leopard (Panthera pardus), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), and impala (Aepyceros melampus). The park is home to many smaller mammals and birds, and the park's wetlands are home to migratory and resident water birds.[2]

Wildlife was diminished by poaching and over-hunting during the long

eco-tourism. In 2019, HALO Trust, an international NGO dedicated to removing land mines, estimated that 153 minefields remained in Luengue-Luiana and Longa-Mavinga national parks. In July 2019 the Angolan Government pledged $60 million to clear landmines in the region, which HALO and the government hope to complete by 2025.[3]

Transfrontier conservation area

The park is part of the

Zambezi River and Okavango basins that extend across portions of Angola, Namibia, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe. The park adjoins Zambia's Sioma Ngwezi National Park across the Cuando River to the east, and Bwabwata National Park
to the south in Namibia.

History

During the colonial period, hunting reserves (coutadas) were established in the region. The area saw little fighting during the 1961-1974

Prince Harry visited the park and spoke to the urgent importance of removing land mines from the region, and praised the government's recent commitment of funds to land mine removal.[3]

The park was created in 2011, by National Assembly Decree (No. 38/11 29 December) which proclaimed the Luengue-Luiana and

Mavinga national parks. The new park includes the former Luiana and Mucusso reserves.[2]

The park is governed by the Ministry of Hotels and Tourism.[4]

References

  1. ^ Nieman, Willem (2023). "A repeat survey on the distribution and status of large carnivores in Luengue-Luiana National Park, Angola". Technical Report: Panthera. 01/2023.
  2. ^ a b c d e f Tarr, Peter (2020). Management Plan for the Luengue- Luiana National Park, Kuando Kubango, Angola 2016-2020. Southern Africa Regional Environment Programme. [1]
  3. ^ a b Somerville, Keith. "Angola: Demining key to conservation plans". Global Geneva, 21 November 2019. Accessed 20 June 2020. [2]
  4. ^ Üllenberg, Alfons; Buchberger, Christoph; Meindl, Kathrin; Rupp, Laura; Springsguth, Maxi; Straube, Benjamin (2015). "Evaluating Cross-Border Natural Resource Management Projects: Community-Based Tourism Development and Fire Management in Conservation Areas of the SADC Region" (PDF). Berlin: SLE. p. xiii. Retrieved 17 October 2016.
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