National Parks
National Treasures
FEATURE
T
he very fi rst national park
in the United States was
Yellowstone National Park,
found in the state of Wyoming. When
President Ulysses S. Grant signed into
law the Yellowstone National Park
Protection Act, it established for the
fi rst time that a piece of land was
“dedicated and set apart as a public park
or pleasuring-ground for the benefi t
and enjoyment of the people.” Since
that time, over 57 additional parks have
been preserved in the United States.
The parks not only provide people
access to recreation and experience
nature, but also a place to protect
the plant and animal life for future
generations.
Nigeria’s own national and state park
system plays a similar role across the
country. There are eight national
parks spread across Nigeria: the Chad
Basin; Cross River, Gashaka Gumti,
Kainji, Kamuku, Okomu, Old Oyo, and
Yankari. Located in diverse geographic
locales, they represent very different
ecological systems but with each
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CROSSROADS | May/June 2018
playing a critical role in protecting
both plant and wildlife. For example,
Kainji national park and Yankari Game
Reserve are the only two places in
Nigeria where lions still roam free,
though their numbers are dwindling.
Gashaka Gumti is the largest national
park in Nigeria and stretches across
Adamawa and Taraba states. At 6402
square kilometers, the park is home
to a number of endangered animals.
What is unique about Gashaka Gumti
is that it is composed of fi ve different
ecological zones, with everything
from savannah to rainforest, and even
includes Nigeria’s highest peak. The
park is home to the largest population
of the most endangered chimpanzee
in the world. Known as the Elliot’s
chimpanzee, there are perhaps only
1,000 of them living in the park.
Yankari Game Reserve is operated by
the Bauchi state government and is
home to a wide range of mammals and
over 350 species of birds. It is also home
to the largest population of African
elephants in Nigeria, one of the largest
populations across West Africa. Both
by Katherine Katetzer-Hodson
Yankari and Cross River national park
are something of a hybrid, depending
on both state support and community
involvement. Between them, they are
preserving the habitats of a host of
animals, many endangered, including
the Cross River gorilla.
Anywhere people and animals
intersect; there is always a risk of
confrontation. National parks are just
a part of the solution to protecting
wildlife across Nigeria. It also takes
awareness. Many of these parks
offer community resources and
opportunities to learn more about the
unique aspects of their wildlife and
vegetation. In Abuja, the National
Park Service also has a visitor center
and museum dedicated to providing
information on the parks and their
diversity.
The national parks of Nigeria are as
diverse as the regions they occupy, and
they depend on everyone’s protection.
Seek out more information and
discover the treasure trove they hold.