The Virunga National Park created in 1925, is one of the first protected areas in Africa. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. Covering an area of 8090 square kilometres, the park contains diverse habitats. It contains swamps, steppes, lava plains, savannahs and even snowfields of Rwenzori at a 5000-metre altitude. There are two volcanoes in Virunga: Mount Nyiragongo and Mount Nyamuragira. These volcanoes have played a major role in shaping the habitats and wildlife of the National Park. More than 3000 species of plants and animals have been found in Virunga. The inhabitants of the park include mountain gorilla, hippopotamus, okapis, antelope, warthogs and pelicans. Birds from Siberia spend winters in the Virunga National Park.
The number of humans living in the Park has increased considerably in the late 20th century. It was placed in the list of World Heritage in Danger in 1994 due to increasing human settlement. A large number of refugees escaping war in Rwanda had also moved into the park. It was closed for the public in June 2018 due to grave security issues including the murder of Park Rangers and kidnapping of tourists. It reopened in February 2019.
Picture Credit : Google
