In 2000, Yankari National Park hosted over 20,000 tourists from over 100 countries. The park's main entrance is at Mainamaji village, about 29 km from Dindima. So this is […] . If you are an animal and nature lover, Yankari Game Reserve is just the place for you! 6.3K likes. Wow. But rather than tell you another story, I wanted my travel buddies to do the talking. In the dry season, larger wildlife in the park depend on the Gaji river and its tributaries for survival. (1985): A new method of censusing, Elephants and Yankari game reserve is indeed a fun place to be. just hope i will not be disappointed because i have high hopes. It was officially opened to the public in 1962 and covers 2,058 sq. The camp is named after the most well known of these, the Wikki Spring. Yankari Game Reserve: Up-close contact with animals - See 35 traveler reviews, 91 candid photos, and great deals for Bauchi, Nigeria, at Tripadvisor. 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All … Around this time, he had been impressed by a visit to a Sudanese game reserve while on a trip to East Africa. This was supported by Alhaji Muhammadu Ngeleruma, a minister in the former northern Nigeria Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources. The Wikki Warm Springs is one of the best features of the game reserves Yankari Game Reserve has a rich variety and a large number of wild animals. This river is the only watershed and cuts the park in two. I have been there and I loved it. Located about 42 kilometres from the main entrance gate, the camp is built beside, and named after, the Wikki warm spring, which is open for swimming 24 hours a day. Pictures on his tweeter handle, wrote, “I am excited to see the biodiversity @Yankari Games Reserve. Other warm water springs are Dimmil, Gwan, and Nawulgo springs. Yankari Game Reserve: Tickets & Tours The Tonlong Gorge – a scenic gorge with associated hills, buttes and escarpments located in the west of the park. Until I read this article I had never seen anything related to wildlife or game reserves in Nigeria. (2000): Understanding Tourism in Nigeria JIS Printing, Marshall, P.J. Yankari Game Reserve is Nigeria's premier wildlife park in Bauchi State. Olokesusi, F. (1990): Assessment of the Yankari Game Reserve, Nigeria: Problems and Prospects. Nigeria’s wildlife game reserves are known for preserving rare animal as well as plant species. Was at the park two years ago when i visited a friend in bauchi. Yankari is such a nice place. Since then, the Northern Eastern State Government and then the Bauchi State Government both managed the Yankari Game Reserve. We hope more animals come.’’ - Bauchi State Governor The WCS also tweeted, “Such an exciting discovery, leopard recorded by WCS camera trap in Yankari.’’ There are 52 species of animals found in the park; Yankari Game Reserve contains the largest surviving Elephant population in Nigeria, there are about 350 elephants. The game reserve/ national park currently boasts of having the largest herd of elephants in Nigeria and even one of the largest in West Africa. Unpublished. Nigeria Field 50: 5-11, Ubaru, J.I (2000): Review of Illegal Activities in Yankari National Park (1991 – 1999). Water, food, cover, mineral requirements and burning practice were identified as the main factors influencing the movements and distribution of animals … The spring has a constant temperature of 31.1 °C through the year during both day and night and has been developed for recreation. 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. Beautiful pictures! Yankari game reserve also features hills like, Kalban Hill – meaning “flat place” a flat topped hill that gives tourists a complete view of the park, Kariyo Hill – located near the Marshal caves is a beautiful picnic ground, Paliyaram Hill – a popular camp for poachers, located 10 km from Wikki. I love that places like this exists to protect our wildlife. A wildlife park originally created as a game reserve in 1956, it was designated as Nigeria’s biggest national park in 1991. [10] The spring has a constant temperature of 31.1 °C through the year during both day and night and has been developed for recreation. (2000): Parks: Vanguard of Ecotourism Promotion. It also has a large population of lion, buffalo, hippo, roan and hartebeest. Yankari was identified as a region in the south of what was then Bauchi Province where large numbers of wild animals existed naturally and could be protected. The Wikki Warm Spring is the largest spring and is about 13.0 metres wide and 1.9 metres deep. I would love to swim in that fresh water spring pool. The elephants have also stripped the park of many of its baobab trees. So if you ever get a chance to visit Nigeria, here is the top 10 list of wildlife game reserves in Nigeria you should see … It is educational while also acting as a conservation centre, displaying hunting gear and traps taken from poachers. Daily safari trips depart at least twice from the camp. Since 2005, the protected area is considered a Lion Conservation Unit together with Kainji National Park.[9]. The open country and villages that surround Yankari National Park are populated by farmers and herders, but there has been no human settlement in the park for over a century. It was located about 42 kilometres from the main entrance gate, the camp is built beside and named after the Wikki warm spring, which is open for swimming 24 hours a day. Here are 5 Reasons you, Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window). [3] It is one of a few remaining areas left in West Africa where wild animals are protected in their natural habitat. John Umar’s main duty as a ranger at the Yankari Games Reserve in Bauchi State is to ensure that no harm comes to the animals there, especially from marauding poachers. [8] In recent years there have been no sightings of Critically Endangered White-backed Vultures in Yankari and species probably extirpated from the reserve. [3], Yankari was first opened to the public as a premier game reserve on 1 December 1962. Ecotourism or ecological tourism is now favoured by many global environmental organizations and aid agencies as a vehicle to sustainable development. The management of Yankari Game Reserve and Safari confirmed the incident in a statement made […] The hottest period falls in March and April, when temperatures can rise above 40C in the day. [3], In 1956, the Northern Nigeria Government approved the plans for the creation of a Game Preservation area. The rainy season is from May to September. There are 110 furnished chalets with varying size and quality, ranging from the ‘’presidential’’ suites to the youth hostel, all of which are being upgraded in phases. 1 Section 1: 1.1 Summary ... meet in the reserve and are a main source of water for the animals). Conservation pays. Kariyo Hill, is the highest point at 640m. The open country and villages that surround Yankari National Park are populated by farmers and herders, but there has been no human settlement in the park for over a century. This haven boasts of having the largest surviving elephant population in West Africa. Feel the adrenaline rush the sense of, Have you been to Enugu? Obudu Plateau and Mountain Resort. Daily safari trips depart at least twice from the camp. hippopotamus on Yankari Game Reserve. It covers an area of about 2,244 square kilometers (866 sq mi) and is home to several natural warm water springs, as well as a wide variety of flora and fauna. 5.8K likes. In 1934, the Northern Regional Committee made a recommendation to the Executive Council to establish a pilot game reserve in the Bauchi Emirate. Foods You Can’t Afford To Miss While In Enugu, Mauritius Safari Adventure: Walking with Lions, An Epic Hike Adventure With The Mountaineers, Time Out With Nature at Usuma Dam With Happy Trails Network. The Yankari Game Reserve (Bauchi State) is one of Nigeria’s best known travel destinations. The camp is named after the most well known of these, the Wikki Spring, from the local Duguri language with “Wikki” meaning “where are you?”. Hotels near (LOS) Murtala Muhammed Airport; All things to do in Bauchi; Nature & Parks in Bauchi. The reserve is home to animals such as Hippopotamus, wild ox, crocodiles, roan gazella, waterbucks, African bush elephant, olive baboon, patas monkey, Tantalus monkey, roan antelope, western hartebeest, lion, African buffalo, and leopard. Wow! His job and that of other rangers in the reserve has been aided by hidden cameras that the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) installed in collaboration with the authorities. Official Facebook Fan Page of Yankari game reserve I have heard a lot about this place, will love to visit one day. A Trip To The Majestic Awhum Cave And Waterfall Enugu. The whole park lies on the Kerri formation, of Tertiary age, which is composed of sandstone, silt stones, kaolinites and grits. It daily flows 21,000,000 litres of clear, spring water into the Gaji river. It is amazing how many different types of animals you could see in one reserve. Drive Safely, Wild Animals have Right of Way, Speed Limit 30km P/H. Yankari Game Reserve is located about 225km east of the Nigerian city of Jos and it covers an area of 2,244 sq km. Yankari National Park is located in Bauchi State (north-eastern Nigeria), and was established as a game reserve in 1956 and officially became a national park in 1991. A fifth spring, Tungan Maliki, is the only cool spring in the park. Some Important Places In Yankari National park. Temperatures range between 18C and 35C. km. This LGA has a population 208,202 people occupying a total land area of 7,457.78 square kilometres (2,879.46 sq mi). It is also a region of rolling hills, mostly between 200m and 400m. There is, however, evidence of earlier human habitation in the park, including old iron smelting sites and caves. Fauna in Nigeria has one of the most diverse species in the world. Seven villages were isolated for the study. 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