Digya National Park
Encyclopedia
Digya National Park is the second largest national park
and the oldest protected area
in Ghana
. It is located in the Brong-Ahafo Region
. It was created in 1900 and given national park status in 1971. The park is the only wildlife territory in Ghana to have Lake Volta
at its borders.
and is bordered on the north, south, and east by Lake Volta. Located on a lowland peninsular, it has an undulating terrain. It is located in a transitional area between a forest and savanna
.
and elephants belonging to some of the less studied species in Africa. The elephant population in the park is the second largest in Ghana. There are also manatees and clawless otter
s in arms of Lake Volta that extend into Digya National Park. More than 236 species of birds live in the park. This park is the only wildlife territory in Ghana to border on Lake Volta, the largest man-made body of water in the country.
National park
A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or owns. Although individual nations designate their own national parks differently A national park is a reserve of natural, semi-natural, or developed land that a sovereign state declares or...
and the oldest protected area
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
in Ghana
Ghana
Ghana , officially the Republic of Ghana, is a country located in West Africa. It is bordered by Côte d'Ivoire to the west, Burkina Faso to the north, Togo to the east, and the Gulf of Guinea to the south...
. It is located in the Brong-Ahafo Region
Brong-Ahafo Region
The Brong-Ahafo Region is located in mid-western Ghana, between the Ashanti Region and the Northern Region. Its capital is Sunyani.This region was created in 1958. It contains many cultural and wildlife attractions, but it is less known to tourists than the Ashanti, Northern, Central, or Greater...
. It was created in 1900 and given national park status in 1971. The park is the only wildlife territory in Ghana to have Lake Volta
Lake Volta
Lake Volta is the largest reservoir by surface area in the world, and the fourth largest one by water volume. It is located completely within the country of Ghana, and it has a surface area of about 8,502 km² . Lake Volta lies along the Greenwich Meridian, and just six degrees of latitude...
at its borders.
Geography
Occupying an area of 3,743 square kilometers, the park is the second largest national park in Ghana. It is in the Brong-Ahafo RegionBrong-Ahafo Region
The Brong-Ahafo Region is located in mid-western Ghana, between the Ashanti Region and the Northern Region. Its capital is Sunyani.This region was created in 1958. It contains many cultural and wildlife attractions, but it is less known to tourists than the Ashanti, Northern, Central, or Greater...
and is bordered on the north, south, and east by Lake Volta. Located on a lowland peninsular, it has an undulating terrain. It is located in a transitional area between a forest and savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
.
History
Digya National Park was created in 1900 as a protected area, the first in Ghana. It was acquired by the government and gazetted as a national park in 1971. When the government acquired the park, there were living settlements in the park, with most of the residents being fishermen and farmers. In 2006, there were 49 settlements and the government of Ghana began evicting settlement residents from the park. In early 2005, a patrol-based system was established in the park in to curb illegal activity.Wildlife
The park is home to at least six primate speciesPrimate
A primate is a mammal of the order Primates , which contains prosimians and simians. Primates arose from ancestors that lived in the trees of tropical forests; many primate characteristics represent adaptations to life in this challenging three-dimensional environment...
and elephants belonging to some of the less studied species in Africa. The elephant population in the park is the second largest in Ghana. There are also manatees and clawless otter
Otter
The Otters are twelve species of semi-aquatic mammals which feed on fish and shellfish, and also other invertebrates, amphibians, birds and small mammals....
s in arms of Lake Volta that extend into Digya National Park. More than 236 species of birds live in the park. This park is the only wildlife territory in Ghana to border on Lake Volta, the largest man-made body of water in the country.