Gashaka Gumti National Park: Difference between revisions
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[[Types of sites]] [[Governance types]] [[Habitat types]] | [[Types of sites]] [[Governance types]] [[Habitat types]] | ||
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Revision as of 02:56, 9 April 2026
West Africa > Nigeria > Gashaka Gumti National Park
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Summary
- Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) are present in Gashaka Gumti National Park.
- The population size is unknown.
- The population trend is unknown.
- The site has a total size of 5,907 km².
- Key threats to chimpanzees include logging, mining, poaching and cattle herding.
- Conservation activities implemented by ANI include patrols and countering illegal activities, as well as habitat protection an restoration, education, and incentives to local communities.
Site characteristics
The site is located in eastern Nigeria, bordering Cameroon. It is Nigeria's largest national park and was established in 1991. The Gumti sector is characterized by undulating terrain covered by savanna vegetation, whereas the Gashaka sector is more rugged and mountainous. Rivers originate in the highlands and flow downslope, providing moisture that sustains lowland forests alongside savanna vegetation at lower elevations. As a result, the park supports a wide diversity of vegetation types, including lowland rainforest, woodland savanna, cloud forest, and montane grassland. Importantly, it serves as a stronghold for several species of conservation concern, including the Nigeria–Cameroon chimpanzee, both white-bellied and giant pangolins, and Nigeria’s last confirmed leopard population (ANI 2026). Rich in bird biodiversity, the site is an Important Bird Area (BirdLife International 2020), as well as a [Key Biodiversity Area] (KBA 2026). The park has also been nominated as [UNESCO World Heritage site].
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Table 1. Basic site information for Gashaka Gumti National Park
| Species | Pan troglodytes ellioti |
| Area | 5,907 km² |
| Coordinates | Lat: 7.538 , Lon: 11.611 |
| Type of site | Protected area (National Park) |
| Habitat types | Subtropical/tropical moist lowland forest, Subtropical/tropical moist montane forest, Subtropical/tropical dry forest, Savanna |
| Type of governance | Shared governance |
Types of sites Governance types Habitat types
Ape status
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Table 2. Ape population estimates reported for Gashaka Gumti National Park
| Species | Year | Occurrence | Encounter or vistation rate (nests/km; ind/day) | Density estimate [ind./ km²] (95% CI) | Abundance estimate (95% CI) | Survey area | Sampling method | Analytical framework | Source | Comments | A.P.E.S. database ID |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2023 | Present | Gashaka Gumti National Park | Camera trap | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | ||||||
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2024 | Present | Gashaka Gumti National Park | Camera trap | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | ||||||
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2025 | Present | Gashaka Gumti National Park | Camera trap | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | ||||||
| Pan troglodytes ellioti | 2026 | Present | Gashaka Gumti National Park | Camera trap | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 |
Sampling methods Analytical frameworks
Threats
The park and its wildlife are threatened by logging, poaching, artisanal mining, and cattle grazing, driven in part by a chronic lack of funding (ANI 2026). Within the park boundaries, there are 10 legally recognized enclave settlements with a populaton of 2,400 inhabitants. These enclaves predate the establishment of the game reserves and were informally allowed to remain due to the lack of government funding for resettlement. More recently, an additional eight illegal settlements have been identified outside the designated enclaves, likely established after the creation of the reserves. The primary livelihoods of these communities are cattle grazing and subsistence farming. Owing to their remoteness, these communities experience high levels of poverty and lack access to basic services, such as healthcare facilities, potable water, electricity, and roads. On average, they are a day’s travel from the nearest markets, and livelihoods remain largely subsistence-based, with limited prospects for improved roads or access to government services. Additionally, the park has become an important area for nomadic pastoralists who bring cattle into and around the park from other parts of Nigeria and West Africa (ANI 2026).
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Table 3. Threats to apes reported for Gashaka Gumti National Park
| Category | Specific threats | Threat level | Description | Year of threat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Residential & commercial development | 1.1 Residential areas | Present (unknown severity) | Ten settlements exist outside enclave areas for settlements, leading to habitat degradation and destruction (ANI 2026). | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.1.1 Shifting agriculture | Low (up to 30% of population affected) | Agricultural activities in the buffer zone outside the site (Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026). | Ongoing (2026) |
| 3 Energy production & mining | 3.2.3 Artisanal mining | Low (up to 30% of population affected) | Gold mining occurring along the boundary of the park and in select enclaves (ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026). The presence of miners is linked to other threats, such as insecurity and bushmeat hunting. | Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1.1 Subsistence bushmeat hunting | Medium (30-70% of population affected) | Subsistence bushmeat hunting would likely be much higher without rangers present (Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026). | Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.1.3 Commercial bushmeat trade | Low (up to 30% of population affected) | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Biological resource use | 5.3.1 Subsistence logging | Medium (30-70% of population affected) | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 6 Human intrusions & disturbance | 6.2 Conflict, civil unrest & security activities | Medium (30-70% of population affected) | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 7 Natural system modifications | 7.1 Fire & fire suppression | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Fires associated with grazing have caused significant degradation and deforestation, with early estimates suggesting between 60-70% of the park burns annually (ANI 2026). | Ongoing (2026) |
| 8 Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases | 8.1 Invasive non-native/alien species | Low (up to 30% of population affected) | Several invasive species are present in the park, including Gmelina arborea, Chromolaena ororata, and Calopogonium mucunoides (ANI 2026). | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Agriculture & aquaculture | 2.3 Livestock farming & ranching | High (more than 70% of population affected) | Presence of transhumance, linked to fires (ANI 2026). | Ongoing (2026) |
Conservation activities
In 1991, two game reserves were merged to form Gashaka Gumti National Park (GGNP), one of five national parks established with the creation of the National Park Service (NPS). From 1994 to 2008, NPS received additional management support from the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF). However, between 2008 and 2017, no external support was provided for park management, and the condition of the park declined. University College London supported research in the park until these responsibilities were transferred to Chester Zoo, which withdrew in 2017. In the same year, the Africa Nature Investors (ANI) Foundation signed an agreement with NPS establishing a bilateral co-management partnership, enabling ANI to provide technical, financial, and managerial support aimed at restoring and developing GGNP (ANI 2026).
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Table 4. Conservation activities reported for Gashaka Gumti National Park
| Category | Specific activity | Description | Implementing organization(s) | Year of activity |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Development impact mitigation | 1.3 Prohibit (livestock) farmers from entering protected areas | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.3 Conduct regular anti-poaching patrols | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2021-Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.6 Regularly de-activate/remove ground snares | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.7 Provide better equipment (e.g., guns) to anti-poaching ranger patrols | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.8 Provide training to anti-poaching ranger patrols | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.11 Implement monitoring surveillance strategies (e.g., SMART) or use monitoring data to improve effectiveness of wildlife law enforcement patrols | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2023-Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.12 Implement community control of patrolling, banning hunting and removing snares | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.13 Provide sustainable alternative livelihoods; establish fish- or domestic meat farms | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Counter-wildlife crime | 2.14 Employ hunters in the conservation sector to reduce their impact | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.1 Educate local communities about apes and sustainable use | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.2 Involve local community in ape research and conservation management | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.4 Regularly play TV & radio announcements to raise ape conservation awareness | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 4 Education & awareness | 4.5 Implement multimedia campaigns using theatre, film, print media, discussions | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.1 Create buffer zones around protected ape habitat | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.2 Legally protect ape habitat | The park was designated as a National Park in 1991 (ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026). | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 1991-Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.3 Establish areas for conservation which are not protected by national or international legislation (e.g., private sector standards & codes) | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.5 Demarcate and enforce boundaries of protected areas | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.6 Habitat restoration | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.9 Resettle illegal human communities (i.e., in a protected area) to another location | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Protection & restoration | 5.10 Use prescribed burning within the context of home range size and use | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 7 Economic & other incentives | 7.1 Provide monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., REDD, alternative income, employment) | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 7 Economic & other incentives | 7.2 Provide non-monetary benefits to local communities for sustainably managing their forest and its wildlife (e.g., better education, infrastructure development) | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | 2020-Ongoing (2026) |
| 8 Permanent presence | 8.1 Run research project and ensure permanent human presence at site | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | Ongoing (2026) |
| 8 Permanent presence | 8.3 Permanent presence of staff/manager | ANI 2026, Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Africa Nature Investors (ANI), National Park Service | Ongoing (2026) |
Challenges
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Table 5. Challenges reported for Gashaka Gumti National Park
| Challenges | Specific challenges | Source | Year(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Site management | 1.1 Need for improved leadership | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 1 Site management | 1.2 Need for improved coordination | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 1 Site management | 1.3 Corruption | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.1 Lack of capacity/training | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.2 Lack of staff | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.3 General lack of funding | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.4 Lack of continuous/long-term funding | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.5 Lack of equipment | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.6 Lack of biomonitoring/survey data | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.7 Lack of infrastructure | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 2 Resources and capacity | 2.8 Lack of evidence of conservation effectiveness | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 3 Engaged community | 3.1 General lack of community engagement or support | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 3 Engaged community | 3.2 Lack of youth engagement | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 3 Engaged community | 3.3 Lack of volunteers | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 3 Engaged community | 3.4 Eroding taboos in favor of conservation | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 3 Engaged community | 3.5 Anticipated disadvantages/costs created by conservation activities (e.g., restricted access/ resource use) | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 4 Institutional support | 4.1 Lack of law enforcement | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 4 Institutional support | 4.2 Lack of government support | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 4 Institutional support | 4.4 Lack of transboundary cooperation | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 5 Ecological context | 5.1 Ecological constraints (e.g., susceptibility to climate change, difficult terrain) | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 6 Safety and stability | 6.1 Political/economic instabilty | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
| 6 Safety and stability | 6.2 Insecurity | Morakinyo pers. comm. 2026 | Ongoing (2026) |
Enablers
NA
Research activities
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Documented behaviours
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Table 7. Behaviours documented for Gashaka Gumti National Park
| Category | Behavior | Observation type | Prevalence | Observation dates | Source | Habituation | Species | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Not reported |
Exposure to climate change impacts
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As part of a study on the exposure of African great ape sites to climate change impacts, Kiribou et al. subm. extracted climate data and data on projected extreme climate impact events for the site. Climatological characteristics were derived from observation-based climate data provided by the Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project (ISIMIP, www.isimip.org). Parameters were calculated as the average across each 30-year period. For 1981-2010, the EWEMBI dataset from ISIMIP2a was used. For the two future periods (2021-2050 and 2071-2099) ISIMIP2b climate data based on four CMIP5 global climate models were used. For future projections, two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCP) were used. RCP 2.6 is a scenario with strong mitigation measures in which global temperatures would likely rise below 2C. RCP 6.0 is a scenario with medium emissions in which global temperatures would likely rise up to 3C by 2100. For the number of days with heavy precipitation events, the 98th percentile of all precipitation days (>1mm/d) was calculated for the 1979-2013 reference period as a threshold for a heavy precipitation event. Then, for each year, the number of days above that threshold was derived. The figures on temperature and precipitation anomaly show the deviation from the mean temperature and mean precipitation for the 1979-2013 reference period.
The estimated exposure to future extreme climate impact events (crop failure, drought, river flood, wildfire, tropical cyclone, and heatwave) is based on a published dataset by Lange et al. 2020 derived from ISIMIP2b data. The same global climate models and RCPs as described above were used. Within each 30-year period, the number of years with an extreme event and the average proportion of the site affected were calculated (see Kiribou et al. subm. for details).
Table 8. Estimated past and projected climatological characteristics in Gashaka Gumti National Park
| Value | 1981-2010 | 2021-2050, RCP 2.6 | 2021-2050, RCP 6.0 | 2071-2099, RCP 2.6 | 2071-2099, RCP 6.0 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mean temperature [C] | 24 | 25.2 | 24.9 | 25.4 | 26.5 |
| Annual precipitation [mm] | 1668 | 1733 | 1739 | 1698 | 1749 |
| Max no. consecutive dry days (per year) | 61.6 | 69 | 68.9 | 67.9 | 69.5 |
| No. days with heavy precipitation (per year) | 4.8 | 4.8 | 4.8 | 5 | 6.2 |
Table 9. Projected exposure of apes to extreme climate impact events in Gashaka Gumti National Park
| Type | No. of years with event (2021-2050, RCP 2.6) | % of site exposed (2021-2050, RCP 2.6) | No. of years with event (2021-2050, RCP 6.0) | % of site exposed (2021-2050, RCP 6.0) | No. of years with event (2070-2099, RCP 2.6) | % of site exposed (2070-2099, RCP 2.6) | No. of years with event (2070-2099, RCP 6.0) | % of site exposed (2070-2099, RCP 6.0) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crop failure | 8 | 0.11 | 7 | 0.19 | 4.5 | 0.06 | 21.5 | 0.21 |
| Drought | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Heatwave | 1 | 33.33 | 0.5 | 16.67 | 0.5 | 16.67 | 1.5 | 58.33 |
| River flood | 1 | 0.34 | 1 | 0.6 | 1.5 | 0.55 | 4.25 | 0.83 |
| Tropical cyclone | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Wildfire | 30 | 1.11 | 30 | 0.97 | 29 | 0.97 | 29 | 1.09 |
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Precipitation anomaly in Gashaka-Gumti National Park -
Temperature anomaly in Gashaka-Gumti National Park
External links
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References
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BirdLife International (2020) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Gashaka-Gumti National Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 20/10/2020.
Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership (2026) Key Biodiversity Areas factsheet: Gashaka-Gumti National Park. Extracted from the World Database of Key Biodiversity Areas. Developed by the Key Biodiversity Areas Partnership: BirdLife International, IUCN, American Bird Conservancy, Amphibian Survival Alliance, Conservation International, Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund, Global Environment Facility, Re:wild, NatureServe, Rainforest Trust, Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, World Wildlife Fund and Wildlife Conservation Society. Downloaded from https://keybiodiversityareas.org/ on Apr 8, 2026.
Page created by: APES Atlas Team Date: 2020-12-02
Page updated by: Tunde Morakinyo Date: 2026-04-06