|
|
The largest and most diverse conservation enclave in
Nigeria |
ANTHROPOGENIC FEATURES
The Park also contains some historic sites one of which is the pre 1918 German fort on top of Gashaka hill which was once a ‘‘Watch Tower’’ used by the German military expedition to that area. Graves of some fallen German soldiers could still be seen dotted around the Fort. Similarly, there is an English fort near Gashaka village.
Vegetation:
 Montane Forsest
The Park has five distinct ecological zones ranging from Scrub Savanna to Sudan, Guinea Savannas; fringing lowland rainforest to montane forest and grassland habitats. The gradation of these ecosystems depends on the altitude and the north- south spread.
It is fascinating to observe that these different vegetation types harbour exceptionally high level of biodiversity. The Park’s montane forests appear to be of relatively rare dry type, characterized by the presence of species more typical of semi-deciduous forest, with a very limited distinction elsewhere in Africa.
The Park shares boundary with Faro National Park and Tchabal Mbabo in the neighbouring Republic of Cameroon which can be jointly promoted for cross-border tours as well as landscape conservation strategy.
Fauna Species:
 Chipanzee
The Park is home to a diverse population of rare and very highly endangered species of fauna. Some of these include colobus monkey, Colobus guereza, red-river hog, Potomachoerus porous, yellow-backed duiker, Cephalaphus spekii,
reedbuck, Redunca redunca, chimpanzee, Pantroglodytes sp, etc.
Gashaka-Gumti is also reputed to be a safe haven for highly endangered migratory species of animals such as elephant, wild dog and cheetah from Cameroon.
Apart from sustaining gene pool conservation, it is also an important spawning ground for a variety of fish and other aquatic species that complete their life cycle in the Benue River system. These include the Nile Perch, Lates niloticus,
Tilapia, Tilapia Zilli, Electric Fish, Malapterurus electricus malaptericus,
etc. Indeed researchers from the UK had discovered the presence of five putative species of fish of the genera Bryconaethiops and Gabiocichla hitherto unknown to science. The Park also serves as an important watershed for Rivers Benue and Taraba.
|
|