Manovo-Gounda St Floris National Park(afrecan)

Brief Description

The importance of this park derives from its wealth of flora and fauna. Its vast savannahs are home to a wide variety of species: black rhinoceroses, elephants, cheetahs, leopards, wild dogs, red-fronted gazelles and buffalo, while various types of waterfowl are to be found in the northern floodplains.

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Gounda's river © José Tello 

Long Description

The area occupies most of the eastern end of Bamingui-Bangoran Province in the north of the country, on the international border with Chad. The boundaries on three sides of the park are formed by the international border, the eastern and southern borders of the province, whereas the western boundary is mainly marked by the Manovo River. The park comprises three main zones: the flood plain of the Bahr Aouk and Bahr Kameur rivers in the north, the Massif des Bongo in the south, and a gently undulating transitional plain between. The lowland areas, which are seasonally flooded, have fine, deep, alluvial soils, although drainage in these areas may be quite poor. This gives way to a flat plain with coarse, generally ferruginous and well-drained soils, in which some areas, particularly the depressions, have developed a lateritic or ironstone shield, on which woody vegetation is noticeably sparse or absent. The massif, which is separated from the plain by an escarpment, is chiefly composed of sandstone and is highly dissected. Five major rivers run down from the massif through the park to the Bahr Aouk and Bahr Kameur. These are the Vakaga, Goro, Gounda, Koumbala and Manovo. However, the flow may be interrupted towards the end of the dry season, and may actually only reach the Bahr Aouk and Bahr Kameur during the wettest months.
The predominant vegetation type over much of the park is Sudanese-Guinean woodland savannah which can be divided into five types: Terminalia laxiflora wooded savannah; Isoberlinia doka and Monotes kerstingii woodland; Pseudocedrela kotschyi and Terminalia macroptera woodland; mixed lowland woodland or wooded savannah; and Anogeissus leiocarpus and Khaya senegalensis .
The lowland areas are subject to both flooding and fire, and this is reflected to some extent in the vegetation. Further south, the higher ground is covered by bamboo open savannah, and woodlands associated with the hilly areas of the river sources.
Several species of particular conservation concern occur within the park: black rhinoceros, elephant, leopard, cheetah, wild dog, shoebill and crocodile. Unfortunately, poaching still has a significant effect on rhinoceros and elephant numbers, and has in the past affected both leopard and crocodile. Red-fronted gazelle is also found within the park at its southern limit.
Within the St Floris region, the most abundant large mammal would appear to be kob, with nine other fairly abundant ungulates including the duiker, waterbuck, hartebeest, oribi, topi, reedbuck, buffalo and warthog. Other conspicuous or noteworthy large mammals include hippopotamus, roan antelope, lion, giraffe and giant eland. Less common animals include golden cat, red-flanked duiker and yellow-backed duiker. Some 320 species of bird have been identified, with at least 25 species of raptor including bataleur and African fish eagle. There are large seasonal populations of pelican and marabou stork, and the park may be fairly important for both waterbirds and shorebirds.
Source: UNESCO/CLT/WHC

Historical Description

The Part national Manovo-Gounda-St Floris was declared on 17 May 1979 with a total area of 1,740,00Oha, including the previously designated St Floris National Park and the former Safarafric hunting/tourism concession. Part of the area was first designated as Oubangui-Chari National Park (13,SOOha) on 10 December 1933 and renamed Matoumara National Park in 1935. The area was subsequently redefined on 27 July 1940 as St Floris National Park with an area of 40,00Oha, enlarged to cover 100,700ha in 1960, and again to cover 277,600ha in 1974. The area previously designated St Floris National Park forms the northern region of the current park. Inscribed on the World Heritage list in 1988.
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