Source: IUCN
Subject: Mapping
Context: The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its World Commission on Protected Areas (WCPA) condemned an armed attack on Upemba National Park headquarters in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
About Upemba National Park:
What it is?
- Upemba National Park is one of Africa’s oldest national parks and an important biodiversity hotspot in the Congo Basin ecosystem.
- It was established by royal decree in May 1939 and plays a key role in protecting wildlife and freshwater ecosystems in Central Africa.
Located in: Southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).
- The park spans across three provinces:
- Lualaba
- Haut-Katanga
- Haut-Lomami
Neighbouring Protected Areas: The park lies close to Kundelungu National Park, with the Lubudi–Sampwe hunting reserve acting as an ecological corridor between them.
Key Features
- Large Protected Area – Covers around 12,752 km², including a core conservation zone and annex areas.
- Unique Biogeographic Location – Situated at the intersection of the Zambezian and Guinean biogeographic regions, resulting in high biodiversity.
- Diverse Landscapes – Includes savanna valleys, high plateaus with gallery forests, and the Kamalondo Depression wetlands.
- Important Freshwater Ecosystem – Contains over 80 interconnected lakes, including Lake Upemba, rich in endemic fish species.
- Source of Major Rivers – Hosts the headwaters of several rivers including the Lualaba River, which forms the upper course of the Congo River.
- Wildlife Habitat – Provides refuge for species such as savanna elephants, zebras, Katanga buffalo, and other endemic fauna.
Significance:
- A key conservation area in the Congo Basin, the world’s second-largest tropical rainforest.
- Supports endangered wildlife and unique freshwater ecosystems.
