INTRODUCTION:
The
Niumi National Park, which was gazetted in 1986, under section
5.2 of the Wildlife Conservation Act of 1977, is a protected marine
delta, in the North Bank Region of the Lower Niumi District of
The Gambia, in West Africa. The delta covers the northern section
of the River Gambia, the
southern section of the Saloum Delta National Park, in Senegal,
and locally covers an area of 4,900 hectares (49 square
kilometres). The nature reserve also includes a broad section
of the Atlantic Ocean, and is home to a wide range of mammals,
birds, reptiles, fish and invertebrates, such as dolphins, hyenas,
manatee, butterflies, leopards, egrets, tilapia, antelopes and
lizards.
GEOGRAPHIC FEATURES:
The
southern tip of the delta, which is 7 nautical miles from the
capital Banjul, begins at Fort
Bullen, just outside Barra
town, and expands north and east all the way to the Gambia's border
with Senegal, and has a 15 km long coastal stretch. Northwards,
just after the the border, it is contiguous with the Parc
National du Delta du Saloum. Near the centre of the park is the
Massarinko Bolon, a creek bordered by a large expanse of
mangroves dominated by laterite boulder escarpments. The average
elevation within the park is less than 5m with a maximum of c15m.
Massarinko Bolon joins with a smaller creek, the Niji Bolon,
which courses roughly north-south. To the west of the Niji Bolon
and to the right of the Atlantic Ocean is Jinack
Island, an elongated, bowed 1km wide strip of land.
HABITATS:
The
Niumi wetland complex contains a diverse range of habitats,
including basin and fringe mangrove forest, brackish coastal lagoon,
bush scrubland, closed forest, coastal grass / scrubland, dry
woodland savanna, estuarine waters, forest / woodland, freshwater
lagoon, freshwater marsh, seasonal marsh, grassland, horticultural
/ agricultural, intertidal mudflats, Mitragyna woodland, rice
paddies, saltwater marsh wetlands, salt pan (bare tannes), sand
beaches, sand dunes, scrubland, shallow marine waters, swamp grassland
and Tamarisk marsh.
FAUNA:
Among the diverse number of animal species present in Niumi National
Park are mammals such as the spotted hyena, warthogs, Gallago
and green Patas monkeys, red colobus, bushbuck, the endangered
African clawless otter, Grimm’s duiker, kob, reedbuck, African
wildcat, Egyptian and Gambian mongoose and leopard. Aquatic mammals
includes the endangered and rarely seen West
African Manatee, Atlantic humpback dolphins and the more common
schools of bottlenose dolphins, which are most commonly seen from
mid November to January. Among reptile species are endangered
green turtles (which lay their eggs at night between Barra and
Buniadu Point), crocodiles, snakes and Monitor lizards.
The aquatic invertebrate fauna is comprised mainly of mollusks
and crustaceans. Abundant species include mangrove oysters, West
African Fiddler Crabs and African Ghost Crabs. The delta waters
are important nurseries for fish fry and juveniles. Among species
of fish found here most are in their developmental stages; such
as the Giant African Threadfin, African Red Snapper, Flagfin,
Senegalese Sumpat grunt, Mullet Mugil spp., and Tilapia spp.
AVIFAUNA:
The
protected area is ideal for birdwatching.
Especially during the Gambia's rainy season Niumi National Park
is abundant in resident and inter-African bird species, as well
as a plethora of Palearctic migrants, who stay in the delta during
the European winter to increase their fat reserves, before continuing
south. By the time the spring migration north gets underway, much
of the wetlands have dried up and its feeding value for waterfowl
and waders is reduced. However, it's still a valuable roosting
and feeding ground for gulls, terns and some wader species. Don't
miss the birds in the Buniadu Point lagoon in the north
shore of Jinack Island.
Over 200 bird species have been recorded at Niumi such
as the Pygmy Sunbird, Slender-billed Gull, Oystercatcher, Caspian
Tern, Royal Tern, Sandwich Tern, Western Banded Snake Eagle, Tree
Pipit, Plain Back Pipit, Broad-bill Roller, Harrier Eagle, Long-crested
Hawk Eagle, Yellow Wagtail, European Bee-eater, Woodchat Shrike,
White-fronted Sand Plover, Heron, Pigmy Kingfisher, Brubru, Woodland
Kingfisher, Osprey and Wheatear.
FLORA:
Mangrove
forest dominates the bolongs fringes within the Niumi National
Park and is found along the Niji and Massarinko. In the coastal
area the mangroves are comparatively shorter, but further inland
they can be up to 20 metres high, dominated by Avicennia nitida.
Six woody species are found within the mangrove belt, i.e. Rhizophora
mangle, Rhizophora harissionii, Conocarpus erectus, Laguncularia
racemosa, Rhizophora racemosa and Avicennia nitida.
Some of the other vegetation found in the area are Tamarisk shrub,
Confetti Tree, Senegal Lilac, Gingerbread Plum, Bell-flowered
Mimosa, Chinese Date, Bitter Leaf, Burning Bush, West Indian Alder,
Fireball Lily, African Arrowroot Lily, Yellow Arum, Star Thistle,
Rattle Box Crotalaria, Thirsty Thorn, Hibiscus and River Bean.
TRAVEL INFORMATION & HOW TO GET THERE:
If
you are on holiday to Gambia then you most likely will come to
Niumi National Park from your resort by organised excursion through
your tour operator. For independent travellers to get to the nature
reserve, you take a ferry
from near the port of Banjul
to Barra. From Barra town you then
take a local taxi driving towards Fass
and Senegal, then turn left at Kanuma into the park. There are
a few villages in the vicinity called Jinack Niji and Jinack Kajata.
It is possible to take a day-trip excursion from one of the resorts,
such as Kololi, if you set out quite
early, just before before the crack of dawn.
A typical tourist day trip might involve an African pirogue cruise
at the head of the Niji Bolon and along the Massarinko Bolon,
traverse Jinack Island by donkey cart or trekking on foot, drop
into the village of Niji, and take your lunch break under grass
shading on the beach of Jinack Island.
If you are a wildlife enthusiast then consider going solo or in
a small group and consider sleeping over as very often the best
time to see wildlife is not at mid-day.
See also Safety.
CONTACT ADDRESS DETAILS:
Department of Parks & Wildlife Management
Abuko Nature Reserve,
HQ
C/o Ministry of Forestry &
the Environment
GIPFZA House, Kairaba Avenue
The Gambia, West Africa
Tel no: +220 4376973
9817559
3917559
Email: info@mofen.gov.gm
Hotels
Map
Resorts
[Geographical coordinates 13.1833° N, 16.7667° W / Kombo
South, Western Region]
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Attractions
Nature
Reserves
Resorts
Abuko
Nature Reserve
Ballabu Conservation
Bama Kuno Forest
Bao Bolong Wetland
Bijilo
Forest Park
Bolong Fenyo
Kiang West
Kunkilling Forest Park
Makasutu Cultural Forest
Niumi National Park
Pirang Forest
River Gambia Park
Tanbi Wetlands
Tanji Bird Reserve
Tumani Tenda
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