Location: 70 km from Luanda Map
Area: 9,960 km²
Quicama National Park is about 70 km from country's capital of Luanda and covers approximately 9,960 km² in North- west Angola. It protects an area of wetlands along with grasslands that is full of large animals. Quicama National Park was originally found as a game reserve in 1938 under Portuguese authorities with subsequent transfer to a status of a national park in 1957. After the Civil War the park is still devastated by the hostile actions in the regions. It is unclear how many buffalo, rhinos and elephants are left in the park since many of them were killed by humans. It is also unclear of level of hostility that is present among tribes dwelling in the nature reserve. It is not advisable to venture into park by yourself without guide or any representative of the local authority. The park is covered by open savanna with impressive baobab trees, dense forests as well as flood plains around Cuanza river.
The park is located on the coast, the northwestern
border of the park is formed by the estuary of the Kwanza River. The
Longa River also flows through the park, and there are several lakes
in the park. The coastline is 110 km long. Height above sea level
reaches 150 meters. The area of the park is 9500 km², of which
28.44 km are the marine part. In the park, the amount of
precipitation is 900-1500 mm per year with a rainy season that lasts
three to four months, while in the southern part of the park the
amount of precipitation is only 150-500 mm per year.
The park
is located in the Zambezian phytogeographic region. The territory of
the park includes mangrove forests in the estuary of the Kwanza
River, flood meadows and palm islands on the river, marshes and
sandy river banks, meadows on the plateau and woodlands in the
eastern part of the park. Raffia palm grows on the islands,
adansonia and acacia are characteristic of the eastern part of the
park. Dense thickets of Chrysobalanus, Drepanocarpus, Dalbergia,
Leguncularia and hibiscus grow along the river. In the lower reaches
of the Kwanza River, thickets of richness prevail, along the coast
you can find cattails, barnacles and reeds. The dominant species in
the southern part are acacia, sterculia, adansonia and commiphora,
in the rest of the territory - Brachestegia and Julbernadia.
The fauna of the park is represented by 44 species of mammals, 66
species of reptiles and 22 species of amphibians. The park is home
to such mammals as the African manatee (in the lower reaches of the
river), the hyena dog, the cheetah (a rare species) and the lion. In
the early 1970s, a large colony of the bush elephant lived in the
park. In addition, sea turtles nest on the coast. 186 bird species
were recorded in the park, including rare species, including those
with a limited range. Among the permanent inhabitants of the park
are the gray-striped turach, the white-fronted gray flycatcher and
the golden-backed velvet weaver, the lesser flamingo, Cape gannet
and whale tern occasionally fly into the park. Laniarius brauni was
recorded near the eastern border of the park. In addition, the park
is home to 68 species of waterfowl characteristic of different
biomes in different parts of the park, including the African rat
stork, African yakana, colored snipe, long-toed lapwing, guard
crocodile, saddle-billed yabiru, white-necked stork, striped fish
owl , broad-mouthed kite, song flycatcher and chestnut-headed song
shrike.
The park was formed in 1957. The eastern part of the
park is poorly studied.
75 km south of Luanda, the Quiçama National Park has a total area of
9600 km². Its limits are, to the north, the Cuanza River, from its mouth
to Muxima; to the south the Longa River, between its mouth and the road
from Mumbondo to Capolo; to the west the coastline between the mouths of
the Cuanza and Longa rivers; and to the east the road that goes from
Muxima, Demba Chio, Mumbondo and Capolo to the Longa River.
The
park has an establishment for visitors, a guesthouse and several
bungalous.
Quiçama remained free from colonial settlement until small invasions
by cattle ranchers along the coast and sugar cane planters along the
Cuanza occurred in the early 20th century. The reason for the lack of
colonial interest in Quiçama was simple - the lack of reliable,
permanent sources of drinking water over the majority of the landscape,
which in 1938 became a Game Reserve and in 1957 a National Park.
The illegal cattle ranches of Pecuária da Barra do Cuanza (PBC) pumped
water from the Cuanza south to their cattle stations along the coast in
Sangano and Cabo Ledo, and north from the Longa to the stations towards
the Cabo São Braz. They also built earthen dams (chimpacas) on Sangano
and some other intermittent streams. Inland, very small villages in
Cassebo, Quindembele, Mucolo, Galinda, among others, depended on water
from small ponds, intermittent streams in Pitchi, Gunza Demba and other
remote locations.
For the rest, Quiçama was and continues to be
essentially a desert bounded by two abundant rivers - the Cuanza and the
Longa.
The vegetation varies greatly from the banks of the Cuanza River to
the interior of the Park, with mangroves, dense forest, savannah,
scattered trees, cacti, baobab trees and large areas of trees.
The variety of vegetation results in an abundant and varied fauna. There
are African manatees (Trichechus senegalensis), red sables (Hippotragus
equinus), talapoins (Miopithecus talapoin) and sea turtles. There is
also a wide variety of birds.
Diversity in the species that we can find in this natural park, from elephants, giraffes, bambis, fan, turtles, snakes, wildebeests, crocodiles, springboks, hippos, zebras, manatees, various birds, squirrels, monkeys, among others.
The Basic Environmental Law (Law no. 5/98 of 5 June) states that Environmental Protection Areas “are well-defined spaces and representative of biomes or ecosystems that are interested in preserving, where exploration activities are not permitted. natural resources, except for use in ecological tourism, environmental education and scientific research. Environmental protection areas can have several classifications according to their scope and objective”. The designation National Park refers to an area reserved for the conservation, protection and propagation of endogenous fauna and flora, for public benefit and leisure. The Quiçama National Park (PNQ) was initially protected as a hunting reserve by Government Decree nº. 2620 of April 16, 1938 (Official Bulletin – I Series no. 16) and was then elevated to National Park by Legislative Diploma no. 2873 of December 11, 1957 (Official Bulletin – I Series no. 50).