Volcans National Park (6774)
Rwanda, Africa

Site overview

KBA status: confirmed

Global KBA criteria: B2

Year of last assessment: 2011

National site name: Volcans National Park

Central coordinates: Latitude: -1.4790, Longitude: 29.5190

System: freshwater, terrestrial

Elevation (m): 2400 to 4507

Area of KBA (km²): 159.06917

Protected area coverage (%): 94.77

KBA classification: Global

Legacy site: Yes

Site details

Site description: The Parc National des Volcans is located in the north-west Rwanda, on the joint border with Uganda and DR Congo, where it is contiguous with Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (UG001) and Virunga National Park (CD010). The park contains eight Pleistocene volcanic peaks which form part of the watershed between the Nile and Congo river systems, and includes Karisimbi (4,507 m). The terrain is often difficult and broken, with steep slopes. The vegetation varies considerably with altitude; at lower elevations (2,400–2,500 m) there is montane forest with Neoboutonia, above which there is a zone of bamboo Arundinaria alpina between 2,500 and 3,200 m, replaced on more humid slopes in the west and south by Hagenia–Hypericum forest. Some open areas are occupied by montane bogs. Subalpine vegetation with lobelias, evergreen bushland and thicket occurs between 3,500–4,000 m, while above 4,000 m there is an Afro-alpine vegetation of heath and thicket grassland. Average annual rainfall at Karisoke (3,100 m) is c.2,000–2,400 mm.

Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. KBA identified in the process of compiling the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the East Afromontane Hotspot. Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2010-4.

Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. The park holds a rich avifauna which includes many of the Albertine Rift endemics. Records come mainly from areas around the Karisoke Research Centre; other areas have been worked by comparatively few ornithologists. Non-bird biodiversity: The park is best known for the mountain gorilla Gorilla gorilla beringei (CR), a subspecies endemic to the Virunga mountains and Bwindi Forest in Uganda. Other threatened mammals include Cercopithecus mitis kandti (EN) and Loxodonta africana (EN).

Delineation rationale: 2013-07-10 (BL Secretariat): following CEPF East Afromontane ecosystem profiling process, the reported IBA area of 15000 ha has been changed to 16000 ha (as measured in GIS from latest boundary polygon, rounded to nearest 10%).

Habitats

Land use: agriculture | forestry | nature conservation and research | tourism/recreation

IUCN Habitat	Coverage %	Habitat detail
Artificial - Terrestrial	35
Forest	28
Savanna	4
Shrubland	31

Threats

Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The park was created in 1929, although legislation for its current protection derives from a 1974 Decree, when it was reduced by about half to its current size. The park was designated as a Biosphere Reserve in 1983. Although human pressure around the park is very high, it is the best-protected park in Rwanda. Threats include demand for agricultural land, gorilla poaching, encroachment, illegal wood- and bamboo cutting and feral dogs. Karisoke Research Centre, created by Diane Fossey, is among the oldest primate field research stations in Africa. Efforts have been made to extend research and tourism activities to other elements of the park. Public-awareness campaigns have been conducted around the periphery of the park, aimed at promoting understanding of the park and stimulating support within the local population.

Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Threat level 3	Timing
Agriculture & aquaculture	Annual & perennial non-timber crops	Small-holder farming	Ongoing
Biological resource use	Logging & wood harvesting	Unintentional effects: subsistence/small scale (species being assessed is not the target) [harvest]	Ongoing
Invasive & other problematic species, genes & diseases	Invasive non-native/alien species/diseases	Named species	Ongoing

Additional information