Abuko National Park is a nature reserve in The Gambia

The Gambia

The Republic of The Gambia, commonly referred to as The Gambia, or Gambia , is a country in West Africa. Gambia is the smallest country on mainland Africa, surrounded by Senegal except for a short coastline on the Atlantic Ocean in the west....

 lying south of the town of Abuko

Abuko

Abuko is a town in the Western Division of The Gambia, five miles southwest of the capital Banjul. It is located in the district of Kombo North/Saint Mary to the north of Banjul International Airport and Abuko Nature Reserve. As of 2008, the estimated population is 7,631.-External links:**...

. It is a popular tourist attraction and was the country's first designated wildlife reserve.

History

The area was first accorded some measure of protection in 1916 when the Lamin Stream, which flows through the reserve, was fenced to form a water collection point. The enclosure of the stream saw an increase in the stock of wildlife and flora in the forest.

In 1967 wildlife officer Eddie Brewer and his daughter Stella Marsden visited the area and realised the conservation importance of the forest and its wildlife. Brewer made a request to the government for the area to be protected. In 1968 the Department of Wildlife, now the Gambia Department of Parks and Wildlife Management was established at the reserve.

Flora

The flora consists of a typical savanna and gallery forest landscape. Typical trees, up to thirty feet high, are: oil palm

Oil palm

The oil palms comprise two species of the Arecaceae, or palm family. They are used in commercial agriculture in the production of palm oil. The African Oil Palm Elaeis guineensis is native to West Africa, occurring between Angola and Gambia, while the American Oil Palm Elaeis oleifera is native to...

, mahogany

Mahogany

The name mahogany is used when referring to numerous varieties of dark-colored hardwood. It is a native American word originally used for the wood of the species Swietenia mahagoni, known as West Indian or Cuban mahogany....

, iroko and anthocleista procera

Anthocleista

Anthocleista is a genus of tree- and shrub-like tropical gentians in the Gentian family , tribe Potalieae, subtribe Potaliinae. There are about 50 species in the genus Anthocleista, native mainly to tropical Africa, Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands...

.

Fauna

There are a three primate species: vervet monkey

Vervet Monkey

The vervet monkey , or simply vervet, is an Old World monkey of the family Cercopithecidae native to Africa. The term "vervet" is also used to refer to all the members of the genus Chlorocebus....

s, red colobus monkeys

Red colobus

Red colobuses are Old World monkeys of the subgenus Piliocolobus in genus Procolobus. Some authors elevate Piliocolobus to a full genus, limiting Procolobus to the olive colobus. They are closely related to the black-and-white colobus monkeys and some species are often found in groups with the...

 and patas monkey

Patas Monkey

The patas monkey , also known as the Wadi monkey or Hussar monkey, is a ground-dwelling monkey distributed over semi-arid areas of West Africa, and into East Africa. It is the only species classified in the genus Erythrocebus...

s. Other mammals include antelope, squirrel, porcupine, African palm civet

African Palm Civet

The African palm civet , also known as the two-spotted palm civet, is a small mammal, with short legs, small ears, a body resembling a cat, and a long lithe tail as long as its body. Adults usually weigh . It is native to the forests of eastern Africa, where it usually inhabits trees...

s, mongoose

Mongoose

Mongoose are a family of 33 living species of small carnivorans from southern Eurasia and mainland Africa. Four additional species from Madagascar in the subfamily Galidiinae, which were previously classified in this family, are also referred to as "mongooses" or "mongoose-like"...

s, galago

Galago

Galagos , also known as bushbabies, bush babies or nagapies , are small, nocturnal primates native to continental Africa, and make up the family Galagidae...

s, and several types of rodents, including cane rat

Cane rat

The genus Thryonomys, also known as cane rats, grass cutters, or cutting grass, is a genus of rodent found throughout Africa south of the Sahara, the only members of the family Thyronomyidae. They are eaten in some African countries and are a pest species on many crops.-Characteristics:Cane rats...

s.

Among the reptiles at the park are monitor lizard

Monitor lizard

Monitor lizards are usually large reptiles, although some can be as small as in length. They have long necks, powerful tails and claws, and well-developed limbs. Most species are terrestrial, but arboreal and semiaquatic monitors are also known...

, Nile crocodile

Nile crocodile

The Nile crocodile or Common crocodile is an African crocodile which is common in Somalia, Ethiopia, Uganda, Kenya, Egypt, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Gabon, South Africa, Malawi, Sudan, Botswana, and Cameroon...

, dwarf crocodile

Dwarf Crocodile

The dwarf crocodile is an African species of crocodile. It is also the smallest extant crocodile species in the world. Recent sampling has identified three genetically distinct populations...

, spitting cobra

Spitting cobra

A spitting cobra is one of several species of cobras that have the ability to eject venom from their fangs when defending themselves against predators. The sprayed venom is harmless to intact skin...

, black cobra

Black Cobra

Black Cobra is a doom and sludge metal band from San Francisco, California. The band was formed in 2002 by Jason Landrian and Rafael Martinez .-Band members:* Jason Landrian - Guitar, Vocals, formerly in Cavity...

, python, puff adder

Puff adder

Puff adder is the common name of several snake species:* Bitis arietans, a venomous snake species found in Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula* Bitis, any other member of this genus...

 and green mamba

Green mamba

Green mamba may refer to:* Eastern green mamba* Western green mamba...

. More than 270 bird species have been recorded in the forest. There are also numerous butterflies and moths.

At one end of the site are several enclosures which serve as an orphanage for needy animals, including an enclosure in which a pack of hyenas is held.