Kissama National Park
The Kissama National Park or the Quicama National Park is a national park located in the northwestern part of Angola. This park is situated approximately 70 km from the Angolan capital city of Luanda. It is a very large park covering an area of 3 million acres or 12000 km². On its west the park is bordered by 120 km long coastline of the Atlantic Ocean. On its north it is bordered by the Cuanza River and on its south by the Longa river. On its east lies a belt of tall and dense thickets.
History
In the year 1938, the Kissama national Park was formed as a game reserve, on January 1957 it was proclaimed as a national park. Though this park was once home to a number of different animals like Giant Sable and elephants, their population were almost eliminated by their wide scale poaching during the 25 years of civil war in Angola. Than the Kissama Foundation which consisted of a group of South Africans and Angolans initiated the ‘Operation Noah’s Ark’ in 2001 to transport large number of animals including buffaloes, elephants, etc from the neighbouring countries of South Africa and Botswana. These animals were from the over populated parks of their home countries and adapted well in the new park. The operation ‘Noah’s Ark’ is one of the largest animal transplants in history and has almost restored the park to its old and natural self.
Habitat
Their occur a large variety of habitat types inside the park which includes the Cuanza river’s flooded plain, a zone of transitional grassland and a low escarpment. The park’s interior consists of savanna trees, dense thickets and open, large grasslands. Due to this kind of habitat a varying spectrum of wildlife can occur in this park.
Fauna
Though once the park had been teeming with large number of animals, widespread poaching and the 21 years war had greatly diminished the number of animals. Today the operation Noah’s Ark has somewhat restored the animal habitat inside the park. Animals like elephants, dwarf forest buffaloes, rhinos, elands, roan antelopes, bushbacks, waterbucks, marine turtles, manatees and tarpins can be seen in the park. Also quite a large variety of bird life can be found in this park.
Accommodation
The Kissama National Park has many accommodation facilities available inside the park for its visitors. They include nicely decorated rondavels which have beds covered with mosquito nets, toilets, showers and air conditionings. Also present are thatched chalets (in German “Ferienhäuser“)called ‘Pousada Caua” which stand overlooking the Cuanza river’s flooded plains. Every unit of these chalets are self contained and have their own ablution facilities. These recently renovated chalets are presently open for tourists and visitors.
A luxury lodge having world class standards is being built on the Cuanza river’s mouth in the Kissama National Park. This lodge will be one of its kind having both the river and sea front. Various activities like fishing, birdwatching, game drives in the park, river cruises, sunning on the beach will be available here. The lodge is going to be set in beautiful surroundings and the visitors and tourists will be able to choose from the various activities.