Wildlife of South Sudan
Encyclopedia
Flora
Flora is the plant life occurring in a particular region or time, generally the naturally occurring or indigenous—native plant life. The corresponding term for animals is fauna.-Etymology:...
and fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
of South Sudan
South Sudan
South Sudan , officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country located in the Sahel region of northeastern Africa. It is also part of the North Africa UN sub-region. Its current capital is Juba, which is also its largest city; the capital city is planned to be moved to the more...
. South Sudan includes the Sudd
Sudd
The Sudd , also known as the Bahr al Jabal, As Sudd or Al Sudd, is a vast swamp in South Sudan, formed by the White Nile. The word “sudd” is derived from the Arabic word “sadd”, meaning “block.” The term has come to refer to any large solid floating vegetation island or mat...
, one of the world's largest wetland
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
s. According to the American biologist
Biologist
A biologist is a scientist devoted to and producing results in biology through the study of life. Typically biologists study organisms and their relationship to their environment. Biologists involved in basic research attempt to discover underlying mechanisms that govern how organisms work...
and conservationist
Conservationist
Conservationists are proponents or advocates of conservation. They advocate for the protection of all the species in an ecosystem with a strong focus on the natural environment...
, J. Michael Fay
J. Michael Fay
J. Michael Fay is an American ecologist and conservationist notable for, among other things, the MegaTransect, in which he spent 455 days walking 3200 miles across Africa and the MegaFlyover in which he and pilot Peter Ragg spent months flying 70,000 miles in a small plane at low altitude, taking...
, South Sudan "could present the biggest migration of large mammals on earth", while Wildlife Conservation Society
Wildlife Conservation Society
The Wildlife Conservation Society based at the Bronx Zoo was founded in 1895 as the New York Zoological Society and currently manages some of wild places around the world, with over 500 field conservation projects in 60 countries, and 200 scientists on staff...
(WCS) reports southeast Sudan has a migration of 1.3 million antelopes. The region has a low density human population, with approximately 7 million people spread over approximately 619745 km² (239,284.9 sq mi).
Geography
The total area under protection is around 143000 km² (55,212.6 sq mi) spread over 23 protected areas which account for 15% of the South Sudanese territory. The largest protected area is the Sudd WetlandSudd
The Sudd , also known as the Bahr al Jabal, As Sudd or Al Sudd, is a vast swamp in South Sudan, formed by the White Nile. The word “sudd” is derived from the Arabic word “sadd”, meaning “block.” The term has come to refer to any large solid floating vegetation island or mat...
, which is an important bird life area covering 57000 km² (22,007.8 sq mi). It is also a Ramsar Site with over 400 bird species, 100 mammal species, and 100 fish species. Many of the protected areas are exploited for illegal hunting and rearing of livestock.
South Sudan’s protected areas are in the flood plains of the Nile River. The habitat predominantly comprises grasslands, high-altitude plateaus and escarpments, wooded and grassy savannas, floodplains and wetlands. Some of the other protected areas are the Boma National Park
Boma National Park
The Boma National Park is found in South Sudan close to the Ethiopian border. It was established in 1986. This site is 22,800 km².The park is an important refuge for the white-eared kob the Tiang and the Mongalla Gazelle...
in the Boma-Jonglei Landscape region, an oil rich area on the eastern border with Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
; the Southern National Park
Southern National Park
The Southern National Park is found in South Sudan. It was established in 1939. This site is 23,000 km²....
bordering 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...
; the Bandingilo National Park
Bandingilo National Park
The Bandingilo National Park, sometimes spelled Badingilo, is located in South Sudan's Equatoria region, within the states of Central Equatoria and Eastern Equatoria. It was established in 1992...
(including Mongalla)–8400 km² (3,243.3 sq mi); Nimule National Park
Nimule National Park
The Nimule National Park is found in South Sudan. It was established in 1954, and extends over an area of 410 km²....
–410 km² (158.3 sq mi); and Shambe National Park
Shambe National Park
The Shambe National Park is found in South Sudan. It was established in 1985 and extends over an area of 620 km²....
, an important bird area–620 km² (239.4 sq mi).
There are several protected game reserves. The Ez Zeraf Game Reserve
Ez Zeraf Game Reserve
Ez Zeraf Game Reserve is an IUCN Category VI protected area in South Sudan, Africa. It was designated in 1939 when the area was within Sudan. The reserve is in size, or . Located within a Ramsar site, the savannah woodland habitat features key species of Nile Lechwe, Sitatunga, and Hippopotamus....
(9700 km² (3,745.2 sq mi)) is located in the expansive swamplands and the seasonally flooded grasslands. Other game reserves are: Ashana Game Reserve
Ashana Game Reserve
The Ashana Game Reserve is a protected area in South Sudan, Africa. It is both a game reserve and an Important Bird Area. The savannah woodland habitat features key species of Elephant and Giant Eland....
–900 km² (347.5 sq mi); Bengangai Game Reserve
Bengangai Game Reserve
The Bengangai Game Reserve is found in South Sudan. Established in 1939, it is both a game reserve and an Important Bird Area. This site covers . Chimpanzees are thought to occur in the game reserve, however there is no recent information on their occurrence throughout this site....
, an important bird area–170 km² (65.6 sq mi); Bire Kpatuos Game Reserve
Bire Kpatuos Game Reserve
The Bire Kpatuos Game Reserve is a protected area in South Sudan, Africa. The tropical forest habitat features key species of Bongo and Yellow-backed Duiker....
–5000 km² (1,930.5 sq mi); Chelkou Game Reserve
Chelkou Game Reserve
The Chelkou Game Reserve is a game reserve established in 1939 in South Sudan. The site has an area of . The savannah woodland habitat features key species of Elephant, giant eland, and buffalo....
–5500 km² (2,123.6 sq mi); Fanikang Game Reserve
Fanikang Game Reserve
The Fanikang Game Reserve is a protected area in South Sudan, Africa. It is within a Ramsar site. The flooded grassland and woodland habitat features key species of Nile Lechwe....
(part of Ramsar Site)–480 km² (185.3 sq mi); Juba Game Reserve
Juba Game Reserve
The Juba Game Reserve is a protected area in South Sudan, Africa. It is a game reserve and Important Bird Area. The savannah grassland and woodland habitat features key species of Heuglin's Francolin and Arabian bustard....
–200 km² (77.2 sq mi); Kidepo Game Reserve
Kidepo Game Reserve
The Kidepo Game Reserve is a protected area in South Sudan, Africa. It is a game reserve and Important Bird Area. The savannah grassland and woodland habitat features key species of Heuglin's Francolin and elephant....
–1200 km² (463.3 sq mi); Mbarizunga Game Reserve–10 km² (3.9 sq mi); and Numatina Game Reserve
Numatina Game Reserve
The Numatina Game Reserve is a protected area in South Sudan, Africa. The savannah woodland habitat features key species of elephant, giant eland, and roan antelope....
–2100 km² (810.8 sq mi).
Other protected areas include
- Imatong MountainsImatong MountainsThe Imatong Mountains are located in the southeast of South Sudan in the state of Eastern Equatoria, and extend into Uganda. Mount Kinyeti is the highest mountain of the range at , and the highest in the whole of South Sudan....
, an important bird and natural conservation area–1000 km² (386.1 sq mi) - Lake AmbadiLake AmbadiLake Ambadi is a lake of South Sudan. It forms one of the world's largest wetlands, and is home to large numbers of the rare Balceniceps Rex....
, a natural conservation area–1500 km² (579.2 sq mi) - Lake NoLake NoLake No is a lake in South Sudan. It is located just north of the vast swamp of the Sudd, at the confluence of the Bahr al Jabal and Bahr el Ghazal rivers. It marks the transition between the Bahr al Jabal and White Nile proper. Lake No is located approximately 1,156 km downstream of Uganda's...
, a natural conservation area–1000 km² (386.1 sq mi).
There are at least three proposed protected areas: Lantoto National Park
Lantoto National Park
The Lantoto National Park is found in Sudan. This site is 760km² and is a protected region for Elephants and Rhinos. .-References:...
–760 km² (293.4 sq mi), Mashra Game Reserve–4500 km² (1,737.5 sq mi), and Boro Game Reserve–1500 km² (579.2 sq mi).
Boma National Park
Boma National Park covers an area of 2.25 million hectares of pasture lands and floodplains. The wildlife in this park has provided bush meat which is not only a dominant food need for many people of Southern Sudan but also an avenue of illegal trading supported by wildlife hunting that has caused biodiversity damage. The park accounts for the greatest concentration of wildlife in the country, particularly of mammals.Fauna
In Boma National Park, fauna species were surveyed and counted by the United Nations Environment ProgrammeUnited Nations Environment Programme
The United Nations Environment Programme coordinates United Nations environmental activities, assisting developing countries in implementing environmentally sound policies and practices. It was founded as a result of the United Nations Conference on the Human Environment in June 1972 and has its...
(UNEP) in 2001, during the wet season. The species recorded were white-eared kob (Kobus kob leucotis), the tiang (not sighted) (Damaliscus korrigum korrigum), the Mongalla gazelle
Mongalla Gazelle
The Mongalla Gazelle is a species of gazelle found in the floodplain and savanna of southeastern Sudan. It was formerly treated as a subspecies of the well-known Thomson's Gazelle...
(Eudorcas albonotata), African buffalo
African Buffalo
The African buffalo, affalo, nyati, Mbogo or Cape buffalo is a large African bovine. It is not closely related to the slightly larger wild Asian water buffalo, but its ancestry remains unclear...
, African elephant, leopard
Leopard
The leopard , Panthera pardus, is a member of the Felidae family and the smallest of the four "big cats" in the genus Panthera, the other three being the tiger, lion, and jaguar. The leopard was once distributed across eastern and southern Asia and Africa, from Siberia to South Africa, but its...
, giraffe
Giraffe
The giraffe is an African even-toed ungulate mammal, the tallest of all extant land-living animal species, and the largest ruminant...
, plains zebra
Plains Zebra
The plains zebra , also known as the common zebra or Burchell's zebra, is the most common and geographically widespread species of zebra. It ranges from the south of Ethiopia through East Africa to as far south as Angola and eastern South Africa...
, oryx
Oryx
Oryx is one of four large antelope species of the genus Oryx. Three of the species are native to arid parts of Africa, with a fourth native to the Arabian Peninsula. Their pelage is pale with contrasing dark markings in the face and on the legs, and their long horns are almost straight...
, hartebeest
Hartebeest
The hartebeest is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is one of the three species classified in the genus Alcelaphus....
, cheetah
Cheetah
The cheetah is a large-sized feline inhabiting most of Africa and parts of the Middle East. The cheetah is the only extant member of the genus Acinonyx, most notable for modifications in the species' paws...
, lesser eland, Lelwel hartebeest
Lelwel Hartebeest
The Lelwel Hartebeest is an antelope native to Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Kenya, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda....
, zebra
Zebra
Zebras are several species of African equids united by their distinctive black and white stripes. Their stripes come in different patterns unique to each individual. They are generally social animals that live in small harems to large herds...
, waterbuck
Waterbuck
The Waterbuck is a large antelope found widely in Sub-Saharan Africa.Waterbuck stand at the shoulder. Males weigh and females . Their coats are reddish brown in colour and become progressively darker with age; they have a white 'bib' under their throats and white on their rumps...
, Grant's gazelle
Grant's Gazelle
The Grant's gazelle is a species of gazelle. Its populations are distributed from northern Tanzania to southern Sudan and Ethiopia, and from the Kenyan coast to Lake Victoria. Its Swahili name is Swala Granti.-Taxonomy and genetics:...
, Lesser kudu
Lesser Kudu
The lesser kudu is a forest antelope found in East Africa and the southern Arabian Peninsula. The southern lesser kudu is a subspecies found in Kenya and Tanzania....
, bongo
Bongo (antelope)
The western or lowland bongo, Tragelaphus eurycerus eurycerus, is a herbivorous, mostly nocturnal forest ungulate and among the largest of the African forest antelope species....
, Giant eland
Giant Eland
The giant eland is an open forest savannah antelope. It is found in Central African Republic, South Sudan, Cameroon and Senegal. There are two subspecies: the endangered T. d. derbianus, found in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park, and the low risk T. d...
, lion
Lion
The lion is one of the four big cats in the genus Panthera, and a member of the family Felidae. With some males exceeding 250 kg in weight, it is the second-largest living cat after the tiger...
, and Nile lechwe
Nile Lechwe
The Nile Lechwe, Wasserbock or Mrs Gray's Lechwe or waterbuck is an endangered species of antelope found in floodplains in Southern Sudan and far south-western Ethiopia...
. It is also an important bird area: avifauna includes Ruppell's Vulture
Rüppell's Vulture
Rüppell's Vulture is a large vulture that occurs throughout the Sahel region of central Africa. The current population of 30,000 is in decline due to ongoing loss of habitat and other pressures...
and the Black-chested Snake Eagle.
White-eared kob
The most prominent species of the Boma National Park is the white-eared kob (Kobus kob leucotis) antelope. A UNEP study reports that the white-eared kob is found mostly to the east of Nile River in South Sudan within the clay plains and wetlands, and though occurring in substantial numbers in the Boma National Park, it is reported to be found more outside the protected area. Its migration route and population during the summer and monsoon seasons have been recorded. Its migration route over the dry and wet seasons, which is dictated by the variation in rainfall and flooding from year to year, extends over 1600 kilometres (994.2 mi); it encompasses different eco-regions in various tribal belts and exposes the species to hunting threats. In comparison to the wet season count of 680,716 in 1980 (849,365 in dry season), the UNEP survey of 2001 reported only 176,120 during the wet season (although the two studies are not directly comparable).
Southern National Park
A.B. Anderson, a former Assistant Game Warden, reported that in the mid-20th century the Sudan's Southern National ParkSouthern National Park
The Southern National Park is found in South Sudan. It was established in 1939. This site is 23,000 km²....
was spread over an area of 7800 square miles (20,201.9 km²). It was drained by three rivers: the Sue River to the west, a well-defined channel that joined the Nile
Nile
The Nile is a major north-flowing river in North Africa, generally regarded as the longest river in the world. It is long. It runs through the ten countries of Sudan, South Sudan, Burundi, Rwanda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Tanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda and Egypt.The Nile has two major...
; the Gel River to the east; and the Ibba River in the centre of the park. The Gel and Ibba Rivers, after flowing through the park, formed a flood plain which made the habitat swampy. Bushveld
Bushveld
The Bushveld is a sub-tropical woodland ecoregion of Southern Africa that encompasses most of Limpopo Province and a small part of the North West Province of South Africa, the Central and North-East Districts of Botswana and the Matabeleland South and part of th Matabeleland North provinces of...
, true rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
vegetation, forests in laterite soils and gallery forests were found in the park. During the monsoon season, the park had extensive grassland that grew up to about 15 feet (4.6 m). The soil was generally of whitish clay and there were sandy valleys. The park was thinly populated and visited by very few tourists. Hunting, fishing and honey collection were the common vocations of the people living in the park area. He identified aquafauna in the rivers flowing through the park as Gymnarchus niloticus, an eel
Eel
Eels are an order of fish, which consists of four suborders, 20 families, 111 genera and approximately 800 species. Most eels are predators...
-like fish, tilapia
Tilapia
Tilapia , is the common name for nearly a hundred species of cichlid fish from the tilapiine cichlid tribe. Tilapia inhabit a variety of fresh water habitats, including shallow streams, ponds, rivers and lakes. Historically, they have been of major importance in artisan fishing in Africa and the...
, Polypterus bichir
Polypterus bichir
Polypterus bichir is also known as the Nile bichir, is a fish which lives in the Nile River, Africa, and some of its tributaries.- Description :...
, lung fish, catfish
Catfish
Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...
, and a few crocodiles. Mammals reported by to have been present in the park in during Anderson's time in Southern Sudan were giant eland
Giant Eland
The giant eland is an open forest savannah antelope. It is found in Central African Republic, South Sudan, Cameroon and Senegal. There are two subspecies: the endangered T. d. derbianus, found in Senegal's Niokolo-Koba National Park, and the low risk T. d...
, waterbuck, kob, hartebeest
Hartebeest
The hartebeest is a grassland antelope found in West Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa. It is one of the three species classified in the genus Alcelaphus....
, korrigum
Korrigum
The Korrigum , also known as Tiang, is a subspecies of the Topi. It was formerly classified as Damaliscus lunatus korrigum....
, buffalo, giraffe, oribi, white rhino, reedbuck
Reedbuck
Reedbuck is a common name for African antelopes from the genus Redunca. These species are:* Southern Reedbuck, Redunca arundinum* Mountain Reedbuck, Redunca fulvorufula* Bohor Reedbuck, Redunca redunca...
, lion, colobus monkey, various galagos including the Senegal bushbaby
Senegal Bushbaby
The Senegal bushbaby , also known as the Senegal galago, the lesser galago or the lesser bush baby, is a small, nocturnal primate, a member of the galago family Galagidae....
, and giant forest hog
Giant forest hog
The Giant Forest Hog is native to wooded habitats in Africa and generally is considered the largest wild member of the Suidae . Despite its large size and relatively wide distribution, it was only described by scientists in 1904...
(Hylochoerus meinertzhageni). Anderson also reported that Marabou Stork
Marabou Stork
The Marabou Stork, Leptoptilos crumeniferus, is a large wading bird in the stork family Ciconiidae. It breeds in Africa south of the Sahara, occurring in both wet and arid habitats, often near human habitation, especially waste tips...
s and pelicans were present in some regions of the park.
Avifauna
Bird species recorded in the flooded grasslands of Southern Sudan are the Black Crowned CraneBlack Crowned Crane
The Black Crowned Crane is a bird in the crane family Gruidae. It was once called also Kaffir Crane.It occurs in dry savannah in Africa south of the Sahara, although in nests in somewhat wetter habitats. There are two subspecies: B. p. pavonina in the west and the more numerous B. p...
(Balearica pavonina), Pink-backed Pelican
Pink-backed Pelican
The Pink-backed Pelican is a member of the pelican family of birds. It is a resident breeder in Africa, southern Arabia and apparently extinct in Madagascar in swamps and shallow lakes.-Description:...
(Pelecanus rufescens), Cattle Egret
Cattle Egret
The Cattle Egret is a cosmopolitan species of heron found in the tropics, subtropics and warm temperate zones. It is the only member of the monotypic genus Bubulcus, although some authorities regard its two subspecies as full species, the Western Cattle Egret and the Eastern Cattle Egret...
(Bubulcus ibis) and Saddle-billed Stork
Saddle-billed Stork
The Saddle-billed Stork is a large wading bird in the stork family, Ciconiidae. It is a widespread species which is a resident breeder in sub-Saharan Africa from Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya south to South Africa, and in The Gambia, Senegal, Côte d'Ivoire and Chad in west Africa.This is a close...
(Ephippiorhynchus senegalensis).
Threats
Bushmeat is cheaper than beef, fish or chicken in many wildlife areas of South Sudan, and hence is exploited as a food source and also for trading. As a result, wild animals such as white-eared kob, tiang and Mongalla gazelle are hunted in large numbers (according to an evaluation of results from a sample survey of a few villages in the Boma National Park). This has created pressure on the wildlife of the park that necessitates effective conservation measures. Internal wars which lasted for two decades have also been a cause for lack of effective management of the protected areas. Even though the military control of the area provided some degree of protection, hunting for bushmeat continued. The wildlife protection forces were reported to be hardly adequate considering the large number of protected areas which has resulted in extensive exploitation of wildlife by poaching; extensive surveys carried out in the Boma National Park confirmed this situation. Another factor that poses threat to wildlife in South Sudan is encroachment on the savannah land areas for cultivation.Planned development activities, particularly those for roads in the protected areas, are infringing on the migration routes of the white-eared kob. Wildlife rangers (a force of 7,300 men which was created from the disbanded armed men after the conflict ended, as of 2006) are also in conflict with the local pastoralists and poachers; this has been particularly noted in the Boma National Park.
Legislation
The Wildlife Conservation Directorate of the Government of South Sudan (GOSS) and the Ministry of Environment, Wildlife Conservation and Tourism share the mandate for the management of the wildlife and the protected areas South Sudan. As of 2011, there is no legislation on wildlife and protected area management from GOSS as, although there is some funding available, the fledgling government departments suffer from shortages of facilities, materials and skilled workers. A Commission on Wildlife set up by the Sudan People's Liberation Movement had formerly provided some direction to areas under its control.Conservation
In 2005, the Wildlife Conservation Society, an international NGO, established a collaborative project with the Government of Southern SudanGovernment of Southern Sudan (2005–2011)
The Government of Southern Sudan, was an autonomous government that administered the ten southern states of Sudan between its formation in July 2005 and independence as the Republic of South Sudan in July 2011. The autonomous government was initially established in Rumbek and later moved to Juba...
to create a workforce for the purpose for specific projects. The first initiative undertaken in 2007 was an aerial survey to assess the wildlife population in Southern Sudan.
The UNEP has concluded that putting an end to bushmeat hunting is not workable, and proposed the establishment of a system of sustainable harvesting that would involve the local communities who would have the major responsibility caring for these resources.