Other Parks of Angola

By 1974, a total of ten conservation areas could be distinguished in Angola. Six of these areas were national parks spread over the various provinces. Luando, home to the unique Giant Sable, was designated as a special reserve while Chimalavera was classed as a provincial reserve. Excluding the nature area at Namibe, the rest of the conservation areas consisted of the Cuando-Cubango’s public hunting reserves at Longa-Mavinga, Luiana, Luengue and Mucusso.

1.  lona National Park:

The 1.6 million hectare lona National Park, which lies in the Namibe province, was proclaimed a national park on 2 October 1937. Its natural borders include the Atlantic Ocean in the west and the perennial Cunene in the south with the Curoca river forming both the northern and eastern borders. The topography ranges from sand dunes at sea level to the Tchamalinde mountains in the east. Large plains occur in the central area. Rainfall varies from 100 mm in the west to 500 mm in some areas in the east. Thirty-one natural fountains exist within the boundaries of the park, with eight of them providing fresh water.

The Park contains three types of plant growth including annual grass plains, active dunes as well as a combined mosaic of xerofitic shrubland, annual grass plains and dwarf shrub plains. An impressive variety of game, including elephant, oryx, kudu, black rhino, cheetah, spotted hyena, several species of jackal and Damara Dik-Dik, formerly occurred in the park. The present status of animals are unknown and some species such as the black rhino could have been completely wiped out.

2.  Bicuar National Park:

Bicuar National Park received its status as a national park on 26 December 1964. It lies in the Hulla province with the Cunene in the east as its only natural border. Bicuar covers an area of 790 000 hectares and consists of sandy hills with lower-lying drainage lines. Large differences occur between day and night temperatures.

Two plant types occur namely a mosaic of huge shrub thicket, bushveld and incompletely drained savanna as well as a mosaic of open miombo bushveld and savanna. Mammals that previously occurred in the park, include eland, buffalo, cheetah, leopard, kudu, blue wildebeest, Deffasa waterbuck, steenbuck and reedbuck. A part of the Park was formerly used for artillery exercises and it is uncertain how much, if any, of the wildlife is left.

3.  Mupa National Park:

Mupa National Park, which covers an area of 660 000 hectares and is situated in the Cunene province, was proclaimed a National Park on 26 December 1964. The Colui river forms the northern and northwestern border, while the Cunene constitutes the western border. The area is undulating with low-lying drainage lines between the hills. Mupa has an annual rainfall of 620 mm and an average temperature of 22,8° C. Both the Colul and Cunene are perennial rivers. Three different types of plant growth can be identified. Firstly a mosaic of large shrub thickets, bushveld and incompletely drained savanna. Secondly a mosaic of open miombo bushveld and savanna and lastly a mosaic of deciduous xenese bushveld and xeriese savanna.

Even though the park was initially proclaimed to protect the giraffe sub-species, Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis, by 1974 none were left. Other mammals which occurred, include lion, leopard, wild dog and spotted hyena. As with the other parks, it is uncertain which, if any, of the animals have survived the war.

4.  Cameia National Park :

Situated in the Moxico province with a surface area of I million hectare, Gamela was proclaimed as a national park in 1957. While the Zambezi river forms the eastern border, the Luena river constitutes the southern and western borders with a railway track as the northern border. High rainfall occurs at an annual average of 1 145mm with an average temperature of 20,8° C. The Zambezi, Luena and Chifumage rivers are all perennial and the flood plains are flooded seasonally. Two primary types of vegetation occur, namely high to medium high miombo bushveld and papirus swamps. Even before the war started, poachers drastically reduced the numbers of wildebeest, tsessebe, lechwe and reedbuck. Wart-hogs, lion, cheetah and leopard formerly inhabited the Park. The present status of the remaining animals, if any, are unknown.

5.  Cangandala National Park:

Cangandala was declared a national park on 25 June 1970. The Park, which lies in the Malanje province and covers an area of 60 000 ha, consists of undulating sandlime hills with lowerlying drainage lines. The area receives about 1 350 mm rainfall per year with an average temperature of 21,5°C. No perennial rivers occur and drainage takes place via grass covered waterlanes.

A mosaic of open miombo bushveld and savanna occur. Brachystegia-bushveld are found on the water partitions and open grasslands in the lower-lying drainage lanes. The Park was originally founded to protect the Giant sable which were discovered in 1963. At this stage it is unclear how many of them are left.

6.  Luando Special reserve:

The spectacular Duke de Braganza Falls, in the Luando Reserve

The special reserve of Luando was proclaimed a nature reserve on 16 April 1938 and raised to the status of a special reserve on 20 January 1955. This reserve of 828 000 ha lies in the Malanje province and has the Luando river as northern and eastern borders with the Cuanza and Luasso rivers as the western and southern borders respectively.

The annual average rainfall amounts to 1 350 mm with an average temprature of 21,50°C. Both the Luando and Cuanza rivers are perennial.

Two distinct types of plant growth occur in the reserve, namely high to medium high miombo bushveld on sandy earth and secondly a mosaic of open miombo bushveld and savanna. The reserve was originally created to preserve the Giant sable. Other unique species such as the puku, lechwe and sitatunga also occurred, but at this stage their numbers, if any, are unknown. Luando was also formerly known as a bird paradise.

7. Namibe and Carumbo Regional Nature Parks:

The Namibe was declared a Partial Reserve on 12 June 1957 and covers an area of 468 400 ha. The area consists of desert-like sand dunes, stretches of plains and rugged mountains. Rainfall is estimated at about 50 mm annually with an average temperature of 20,6° C.

Mammals such as elephant, kudu, oryx, black rhino and Hartmanns’ mountain zebra previously occurred in the area. Their status at this stage is unsure. Wildebeest, elephant, sable, sitatunga, lechwe, impala, tsessebe, buffalo, giraffe and hippo are some of the mammals which formerly roamed the area. It was previously known as the area with the largest variety of antelope in Angola. The present status of the animals in both these regional parks, are unknown.