11/05/2018
Yankari National Park is a large wildlife park located in the south-central part of Bauchi State, in northeastern Nigeria. It covers an area of about 2,244 square kilometres (866 sq mi) and is home to several natural warm water springs, as well as a wide variety of flora and fauna. Its location in the heartland of the West African savanna makes it a unique way for tourists and holidaymakers to watch wildlife in its natural habitat. Ecotourism or ecological tourism is now favoured by many global environmental organizations and aid agencies as a vehicle to sustainable development. It promotes conservation of biological diversity by protecting ecosystems and has the local culture, flora and fauna as the main attractions. Yankari National Park fulfills these criteria. Yankari has rich wildlife resources. The park is an important refuge for over 50 species of mammal including African bush elephant, olive baboon, patas monkey, Tantalus monkey, roan antelope, western hartebeest, West African lion, African buffalo, waterbuck, bushbuck and hippopotamus. The Sudan cheetah long ago extirpated from the area. Lion population in Yankari is on the verge of extinction. Only 2 lions remained in the park in 2011. Leopard long presumed to be extinct in Yankari, but in April 2017 one adult male was captured on WCS camera-trap.
There are also over 350 species of bird found in the park. Of these, 130 are resident, 50 are Palearctic migrants and the rest are intra-African migrants that move locally within Nigeria. These birds include the saddle-billed stork, guinea fowl, grey hornbill, and the cattle egret. In recent years there have been no sightings of Critically Endangered White-backed Vultures in Yankari and species probably extirpated from reserve.
Yankari is recognized as having one of the largest populations of elephants in West Africa, estimated at more than 300 in 2005.
