River Gambia National Park, Gambia
The national park was established in 1978 and is made up of a complex of 5 islands that lie on the river in the Central River Division about 300 kilometres upstream to the south west of Kuntaur and downstream of Janjangbureh, Georgetown. The 5 island are collectively known as Baboon Islands which cover an area of approximately 1,445 acres and are relatively flat. It forms one of the last refuges for the very threatened hippopotamus within The Gambia. Their ecological systems range from lush jungle rainforest, reeds, savannah and mangrove swamps.
An interesting place to visit is the Chimpanzee Rehabilitation Camp which lies on the banks of the river and was established in 1969 to rescue orphaned chimps. There are currently about fifty Chimpanzees living on 3 of the larger islands. The population is steadily increasing through births. In addition to reintroducing an indigenous species to the country, the existence of the park’s project on Baboon Islands has assisted in protecting the forest and its resources from over exploitation.
Epic Gambia Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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