Preserving Yankari
The Yankari National Park is located in the state of Bauchi, which is the north-eastern part of Nigeria. The main entrance to the park is located at Mainamaji village of Alkaleri LGA.
The park occupies an area of about 2,244 square kilometres in size. The landscape of the area is savanna in nature. The park lies at an elevation of about 500 meters.
Since Yankari park lies within the West African Savanna it is home to various rare and dinstinct plants specific to this area.
Some notable trees found at Yankari park include African mahogany, Burkea africana, Pterocarpus erinaceus, Isoberlinia doka, Monotes, Combretum glutinosum, Detarium microcarpum and Anogeissus leiocarpus.
Yankari is rich in animal life, this includes antelopes such as roans, waterbucks, bushbucks, and hartebeest. Other animals which can be found at the park include elephants, hippopotamuses, giraffes, baboons, hyenas, lions, leopards, and crocodiles.
The Yankari National Park was originally created as a game reserve in 1956 and then upgraded to a national park in 1991.
From 1991 to 2006 it was managed by the National Parks Service and then handed back to Bauchi State Government.
In 2014 the Wildlife Conservation Soceity(WCS) signed an agreement(MoU) with the Bauchi State Government for the co-management of Yankari National Park. This agreement gave WCS full responsibility for the ranger program.
Some of the threats facing Yankiri include:
- Degradation of the park and poaching of wildlife
- Insufficient funding of the the park's facilities
- Poor management
- Insecurity within and outside the park
- Conflict with local inhabitants and farmers
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