Manda National Park (6896)
Chad, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Year of last assessment: 2001
National site name: Manda National Park
Central coordinates: Latitude: 9.4167, Longitude: 18.0833
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 362 to 452
Area of KBA (km2): 1738.27065
Protected area coverage (%): 54.37
KBA classification: Global/Regional TBD
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: Manda National Park is located in central-southern Chad, to the north-west of the town of Sarh, bounded on its south-western side by the Sarh–N’Djamena road and on its north-eastern side by the Chari river. The park consists mainly of woodland-savanna and grassy flood-plain. Patchy stands of dense woodland and fringing vegetation, dominated by Isoberlinia and Monotes spp., are found along watercourses and around marshy pools. The banks of the Chari, on the north-eastern side of the park, are seasonally inundated following rainfall which starts towards the end of April. Average annual rainfall is approximately 1,100 mm.
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. An estimated 30–40 Struthio camelus occur. Non-bird biodiversity: Threatened mammal species include Lycaon pictus (EN).
Habitats
Land use: nature conservation and research
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 2 | |
| Shrubland | 66 | |
| Forest | 31 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Manda was originally established as a Faunal Reserve in 1953, and upgraded to a National Park in 1965. The original purpose of the reserve was to conserve a population of Taurotragus derbianus, but the species is now extinct at the site, although it still occurs in the Goundi region, west of Manda. Large-mammal populations have shrunk to low levels, although Lycaon pictus are still thought to occur. Large numbers of domestic animals invade the park during the dry season. The vegetation is, nevertheless, still thought to be relatively intact. A French-financed conservation project has been in operation since the mid-1990s, considerably improving protection of the park.