Nimule (6821)
South Sudan, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2012
National site name: Nimule
Central coordinates: Latitude: 3.8333, Longitude: 31.5000
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 650 to 700
Area of KBA (km2): 658.93924
Protected area coverage (%): 20.05
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Nimule National Park is located in the extreme south of the country on the border with Uganda. The White Nile forms the eastern border of the park for c.48 km. Beyond it, on the eastern bank, there is a buffer zone, bounded by the Assua river to the north and by the Juba–Nimule road to the east. The Kayu river flows through the park from the Uganda border to the White Nile. The topography is hilly and most of the park is covered with savanna woodland of Acacia spp., Balanites aegyptiaca and Combretum aculeatum. Riverine woodland, found along permanent and seasonal watercourses, is composed principally of Acacia sieberiana and Borassus aethiopium. The site is contiguous with two IBAs in Uganda; Mount Kei Forest Reserve (UG022) and Mount Otzi Forest Reserve (UG023).
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance because it meets one or more previously established criteria and thresholds for identifying sites of biodiversity importance (including Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas, Alliance for Zero Extinction sites, and Key Biodiversity Areas)
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Table 2 for key species. Non-bird biodiversity: Populations of Loxodonta africana (EN) have been severely reduced by poaching. Other species of global conservation concern include Kobus kob (LR/cd), Tragelaphus ellipsiprymnus (LR/cd), T. spekii (LR/nt), Ourebia ourebi (LR/cd) and Redunca redunca (LR/cd).
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 16 | |
| Shrubland | 82 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The park was established as a Game Reserve in 1935 and gazetted as a National Park in 1954. The park has suffered heavily hunting from poaching which has resulted in, among other things, the local extermination of Ceratotherium simum.