Rwenzori Mountains National Park
Encyclopedia
Rwenzori Mountains National Park is a Uganda
n national park
and UNESCO
World Heritage Site
located in the Rwenzori Mountains. Almost 1000 km² (386 sq mi) in size, the park has Africa
's third highest mountain peak and many waterfall
s, lake
s, and glacier
s. The park is known for its beautiful plant life.
s occupied the Rwenzori Mountains from 1997 to June 2001. The park was inscribed on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger between 1999 and 2004 because of insecurity and a lack of resources in the park.
. It lies along Uganda's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo
(DRC) and borders the DRC's Virunga National Park
, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for 50 km (31 mi). It is situated in the Bundibugyo
, Kabarole
, and Kasese
districts, 25 km (16 mi) from the small town of Kasese
. It is 996 km² (246,117 acre) in size, 70% of which exceeds an altitude of 2500 m (8,202 ft). The park is 120 km (75 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide.
The park comprises most of the centre and eastern half of the Rwenzori Mountains, a mountain range rising above dry plains located just above the equator. The Rwenzori Mountains are higher than the Alps
and are ice-capped. Mount Stanley
is located in the park. Margherita Peak, one of Mount Stanley's twin summits, is Africa's third highest peak with a height of 5109 m (16,762 ft). Africa's fourth and fifth highest peaks (Mount Speke
and Mount Baker
) are also located in the park. The park has glaciers, snowfields, waterfalls, and lakes and is one of Africa's most beautiful mountain areas.
of plants and trees. The park is noted for its botany, which has been described as some of the most beautiful in the world. There are five distinct vegetation zones in the park, which change according to changes in altitude. The park has 89 species of birds, 15 species of butterfly, and four primate
species. The park's wildlife varies with elevation, and its species include the forest elephant
, chimpanzee
, hyrax
, black-and-white colobus
, L'Hoest's monkey
s, duiker
, and Ruwenzori Turaco
.
, is the gateway to the park. The town has hotels and lodges, while the park has camping, a good trail network and huts for hikers. The park has excellent trekking and climbing opportunities with spectacular views and unusual scenery. The most popular trek is a seven day circuit of the park.
Uganda
Uganda , officially the Republic of Uganda, is a landlocked country in East Africa. Uganda is also known as the "Pearl of Africa". It is bordered on the east by Kenya, on the north by South Sudan, on the west by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the southwest by Rwanda, and on the south by...
n national park
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 UNESCO
UNESCO
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is a specialized agency of the United Nations...
World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
located in the Rwenzori Mountains. Almost 1000 km² (386 sq mi) in size, the park has Africa
Africa
Africa is the world's second largest and second most populous continent, after Asia. At about 30.2 million km² including adjacent islands, it covers 6% of the Earth's total surface area and 20.4% of the total land area...
's third highest mountain peak and many waterfall
Waterfall
A waterfall is a place where flowing water rapidly drops in elevation as it flows over a steep region or a cliff.-Formation:Waterfalls are commonly formed when a river is young. At these times the channel is often narrow and deep. When the river courses over resistant bedrock, erosion happens...
s, lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
s, and glacier
Glacier
A glacier is a large persistent body of ice that forms where the accumulation of snow exceeds its ablation over many years, often centuries. At least 0.1 km² in area and 50 m thick, but often much larger, a glacier slowly deforms and flows due to stresses induced by its weight...
s. The park is known for its beautiful plant life.
History
Rwenzori Mountains National Park was established in 1991. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994 because of its outstanding natural beauty. Rebel militiaMilitia
The term militia is commonly used today to refer to a military force composed of ordinary citizens to provide defense, emergency law enforcement, or paramilitary service, in times of emergency without being paid a regular salary or committed to a fixed term of service. It is a polyseme with...
s occupied the Rwenzori Mountains from 1997 to June 2001. The park was inscribed on UNESCO's List of World Heritage in Danger between 1999 and 2004 because of insecurity and a lack of resources in the park.
Geography
Rwenzori Mountains National Park is located in southwestern Uganda on the east side of the western (Albertine) African rift valleyEast African Rift
The East African Rift is an active continental rift zone in eastern Africa that appears to be a developing divergent tectonic plate boundary. It is part of the larger Great Rift Valley. The rift is a narrow zone in which the African Plate is in the process of splitting into two new tectonic plates...
. It lies along Uganda's border with the Democratic Republic of the Congo
Democratic Republic of the Congo
The Democratic Republic of the Congo is a state located in Central Africa. It is the second largest country in Africa by area and the eleventh largest in the world...
(DRC) and borders the DRC's Virunga National Park
Virunga National Park
The Virunga National Park , formerly named Albert National Park, is a 7800 square km National Park that stretches from the Virunga Mountains in the South, to the Rwenzori Mountains in the North, in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, bordering Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda and Rwenzori...
, also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, for 50 km (31 mi). It is situated in the Bundibugyo
Bundibugyo District
Bundibugyo District is a district in Western Uganda, bordering the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Like other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Bundibugyo, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:...
, Kabarole
Kabarole District
Kabarole District is a district in Western Uganda. Kabarole District is part of the Kingdom of Toro, one of the traditional monarchies that are constitutionally recognised in modern-day Uganda. The kingdom is coterminus with Toro sub-region...
, and Kasese
Kasese District
Kasese District is a district in Western Uganda. Like most other Ugandan districts, it is named after its 'chief town', Kasese, where the district headquarters are located.-Location:Kasese District is located along the Equator...
districts, 25 km (16 mi) from the small town of Kasese
Kasese
Kasese is a town in Western Uganda, lying north of Lake George. It originally grew around the copper mine at Kilembe, while attention later turned to cobalt mining. It is the 'chief town' of Kasese District and the district headquarters are located there...
. It is 996 km² (246,117 acre) in size, 70% of which exceeds an altitude of 2500 m (8,202 ft). The park is 120 km (75 mi) long and 48 km (30 mi) wide.
The park comprises most of the centre and eastern half of the Rwenzori Mountains, a mountain range rising above dry plains located just above the equator. The Rwenzori Mountains are higher than the Alps
Alps
The Alps is one of the great mountain range systems of Europe, stretching from Austria and Slovenia in the east through Italy, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany to France in the west....
and are ice-capped. Mount Stanley
Mount Stanley
Mount Stanley is a mountain located in the Rwenzori range. With an elevation of 5,109 m , it is the highest mountain of both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Uganda, and the third highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro and Mount Kenya . The peak and several other surrounding peaks are high...
is located in the park. Margherita Peak, one of Mount Stanley's twin summits, is Africa's third highest peak with a height of 5109 m (16,762 ft). Africa's fourth and fifth highest peaks (Mount Speke
Mount Speke
Mount Speke lies in the Ruwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda, Africa and is the second highest peak in this range. Together with Mount Stanley and Mount Baker , it forms a triangle enclosing the upper Bujuku Valley. The nearest peak is Mount Stanley which is 3.55 km to the SSW...
and Mount Baker
Mount Baker (Uganda)
Mount Baker lies in the Ruwenzori Mountains National Park in Uganda, Africa. Together with Mount Stanley and Mount Speke, it forms a triangle enclosing the upper Bujuku Valley. The nearest peak is Mount Stanley which is 2.26 km to the west...
) are also located in the park. The park has glaciers, snowfields, waterfalls, and lakes and is one of Africa's most beautiful mountain areas.
Biodiversity
The park has many species that are endemic to the Albertine Rift system, and there are several endangered species in the park. It has a high diversityBiodiversity
Biodiversity is the degree of variation of life forms within a given ecosystem, biome, or an entire planet. Biodiversity is a measure of the health of ecosystems. Biodiversity is in part a function of climate. In terrestrial habitats, tropical regions are typically rich whereas polar regions...
of plants and trees. The park is noted for its botany, which has been described as some of the most beautiful in the world. There are five distinct vegetation zones in the park, which change according to changes in altitude. The park has 89 species of birds, 15 species of butterfly, and four primate
Primate
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...
species. The park's wildlife varies with elevation, and its species include the forest elephant
African Forest Elephant
The African Forest Elephant is a forest dwelling elephant of the Congo Basin. Formerly considered either a synonym or a subspecies of the African Savanna Elephant , a 2010 study established that the two are distinct species...
, chimpanzee
Chimpanzee
Chimpanzee, sometimes colloquially chimp, is the common name for the two extant species of ape in the genus Pan. The Congo River forms the boundary between the native habitat of the two species:...
, hyrax
Hyrax
A hyrax is any of four species of fairly small, thickset, herbivorous mammals in the order Hyracoidea. The rock hyrax Procavia capensis, the yellow-spotted rock hyrax Heterohyrax brucei, the western tree hyrax Dendrohyrax dorsalis, and the southern tree hyrax, Dendrohyrax arboreus live in Africa...
, black-and-white colobus
Black-and-white colobus
Black-and-white colobuses are Old World monkeys of the genus Colobus, native to Africa. They are closely related to the brown colobus monkeys of genus Piliocolobus. The word "colobus" comes from Greek κολοβός kolobós , and is so named because its thumb is a stump.Colobuses are herbivorous, eating...
, L'Hoest's monkey
L'Hoest's Monkey
L'Hoest's monkey , or mountain monkey, is a guenon found in the upper eastern Congo basin. They mostly live in mountainous forest areas in small, female-dominated groups...
s, duiker
Duiker
A duiker is any of about 21 small to medium-sized antelope species from the subfamily Cephalophinae native to Sub-Saharan Africa.Duikers are shy and elusive creatures with a fondness for dense cover; most are forest dwellers and even the species living in more open areas are quick to disappear...
, and Ruwenzori Turaco
Ruwenzori Turaco
The Ruwenzori Turaco is a species of bird in the Musophagidae family. It is monotypic within the genus Ruwenzorornis.It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Rwanda, and Uganda.-References:...
.
Conservation and tourism
The park is owned by the Ugandan government through Uganda National Parks. It is protected, although extraction may be sanctioned by a board of trustees. Kasese, 437 km (260 mi) west of Uganda's capital KampalaKampala
Kampala is the largest city and capital of Uganda. The city is divided into five boroughs that oversee local planning: Kampala Central Division, Kawempe Division, Makindye Division, Nakawa Division and Lubaga Division. The city is coterminous with Kampala District.-History: of Buganda, had chosen...
, is the gateway to the park. The town has hotels and lodges, while the park has camping, a good trail network and huts for hikers. The park has excellent trekking and climbing opportunities with spectacular views and unusual scenery. The most popular trek is a seven day circuit of the park.
External links
- Rwenzori Mountains National Park, Uganda Wildlife Authority