Mikumi National Park
Encyclopedia
The Mikumi National Park is a national park
in Mikumi
, near Morogoro
, Tanzania. The park was established in 1964, currently covers an area of 3230 km² and is the fourth largest in the country. The park is crossed by Tanzania A-7 highway.
The Mikumi is bordered to the south with the Selous Game Reserve
, the two areas forming a unique ecosystem. Two other natural areas bordering the national park are the Udzungwa Mountains
and Uluguru Mountains
.
The landscape of Mikumi is often compared to that of the Serengeti. The road that crosses the park divides it into two areas with partially distinct environments. The area north-west is characterized by the alluvial plain of the river basin Mkata. The vegetation of this area consists of savannah
dotted with acacia
, baobab
, tamarinds, and some rare palm. In this area, at the furthest from the road, there are spectacular rock formations of the mountains Rubeho and Uluguru. The southeast part of the park is less rich in wildlife, and not very accessible.
The fauna includes many species characteristic of the African savannah. According to local guides at Mikumi, chances of seeing a lion who climbs a tree trunk is larger than in Manyara (famous for being one of the few places where the lions exhibit this behavior). The park contains a subspecies of giraffe, that biologists consider the link between the Masai giraffe and the Somali giraffe. Other animals in the park are elephants, zebras, gnu, impales, eland, kudu, black antelope, baboons, wildebeests and buffaloes. At about 5 km from the north of the park, there are two artificial pools inhabited by hippos. More than 400 different species of birds also inhabit the park.
and the Selous. The recommended season for visiting the park is the dry season between May and November.
It is noted that the Mikumi Snake Park Lodge which is supposedly rather unique in Tanzania as explained as follows:
"The Mikumi Snake Park is located within the Genesis Motel Mikumi. The park has more than 50 different Tanzania snakes, and a well trained guide to explain to you the behavior of each snake". While it may be true that the snake park has many different snakes, some visitors have been rather appalled by the way the snakes are kept and treated by the park staff. However, this information may well need further verification.
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...
in Mikumi
Mikumi
Mikumi is a town in Central Tanzania. It is near the larger town of Kidodi. Kidodi is located near a railway station and junction of the Tanzania Railway Corporation.- See also :* Transport in Tanzania* Railway stations in Tanzania* Mikumi National Park...
, near Morogoro
Morogoro
Morogoro is a city with an urban population of 206,868 in the southern highlands of Tanzania, 190 km west of Dar es Salaam. It is the capital of the Morogoro Region...
, Tanzania. The park was established in 1964, currently covers an area of 3230 km² and is the fourth largest in the country. The park is crossed by Tanzania A-7 highway.
Territory
Selous Game Reserve
The Selous Game Reserve is one of the largest faunal reserves of the world, located in the south of Tanzania. It was named after Englishman Sir Frederick Selous, a famous big game hunter and early conservationist, who died at Beho Beho in this territory in 1917 while fighting against the Germans...
, the two areas forming a unique ecosystem. Two other natural areas bordering the national park are the Udzungwa Mountains
Udzungwa Mountains
The Udzungwa Mountains are a mountain range south east of Dodoma in Tanzania and are part of the Eastern Arc Mountains. They are covered with tropical rainforest, mountain forest, miombo woodland, grassland, steppe and are home to many large mammals, including the Udzungwa Red Colobus and Tana...
and Uluguru Mountains
Uluguru Mountains
The Uluguru Mountains are a mountain range in eastern Tanzania, Africa, named after the Luguru tribe. The main Uluguru Mountains is a ridge running approximately north-south and rising to 2,630 m altitude at its highest point...
.
Flora and fauna
Savannah
Savannah or savanna is a type of grassland.It can also mean:-People:* Savannah King, a Canadian freestyle swimmer* Savannah Outen, a singer who gained popularity on You Tube...
dotted with acacia
Acacia
Acacia is a genus of shrubs and trees belonging to the subfamily Mimosoideae of the family Fabaceae, first described in Africa by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in 1773. Many non-Australian species tend to be thorny, whereas the majority of Australian acacias are not...
, baobab
Baobab
Adansonia is a genus of eight species of tree, six native to Madagascar, one native to mainland Africa and the Arabian Peninsula and one to Australia. The mainland African species also occurs on Madagascar, but it is not a native of that island....
, tamarinds, and some rare palm. In this area, at the furthest from the road, there are spectacular rock formations of the mountains Rubeho and Uluguru. The southeast part of the park is less rich in wildlife, and not very accessible.
The fauna includes many species characteristic of the African savannah. According to local guides at Mikumi, chances of seeing a lion who climbs a tree trunk is larger than in Manyara (famous for being one of the few places where the lions exhibit this behavior). The park contains a subspecies of giraffe, that biologists consider the link between the Masai giraffe and the Somali giraffe. Other animals in the park are elephants, zebras, gnu, impales, eland, kudu, black antelope, baboons, wildebeests and buffaloes. At about 5 km from the north of the park, there are two artificial pools inhabited by hippos. More than 400 different species of birds also inhabit the park.
Tourism
The Mikumi belongs to the circuit of the wildlife parks of Tanzania, less visited by international tourists and better protected from the environmental point of view. Most of the routes that cross the Mikumi proceed in the direction of the Ruaha National ParkRuaha National Park
Ruaha National Park is the largest national park in Tanzania. It covers an area of about 22,000 km². It is located in the middle of Tanzania about 130 km from Iringa...
and the Selous. The recommended season for visiting the park is the dry season between May and November.
It is noted that the Mikumi Snake Park Lodge which is supposedly rather unique in Tanzania as explained as follows:
"The Mikumi Snake Park is located within the Genesis Motel Mikumi. The park has more than 50 different Tanzania snakes, and a well trained guide to explain to you the behavior of each snake". While it may be true that the snake park has many different snakes, some visitors have been rather appalled by the way the snakes are kept and treated by the park staff. However, this information may well need further verification.