West
Lunga National Park is one of Zambia’ National parks characterized with
beautiful scenery of wildlife. The fauna in this area gives it the undoubtedly
qualification of being an import bird site in Zambia. However, it was explained
in the previous articles concerning the various criterion through which an area
is declared an important bird area. However, West Lunga national park and the Lukwakwa
GMA are categorized as globally threatened and Biome- restricted species.
SITE DESCRIPTION
West
Lunga is located in the North western province of Zambia particulary in
Mwinilunga and Kabompo. This site is
divided into two, demarcated by the west Lunga River from the Northen to the Southern
part. Geographically the sites is located between 12°30’-13°11’S and
24°15’-25°01’E the total land area for
West Lunga and Lukwakwa is aboult 445000ha. About 60% of the site area
is occupied by Lukwakwa Game Management Area (GMA). This place is characterized
with an altitude ranging from 1100-1400M above sea level. This entails that the
place is fairly warm with beautiful sunny days to welcome you when you visit
this place. West Lunga National Park stretches up to Kabompo River whereas the
western half of the site is occupied by the Lukwakwa GMA (No.5), the site
shares the border with the Mwinilunga- Kabompo River on the western boundary. Throughout
the site are networks of rivers and streams characterized with dambos and
stripes of riparian forest and swamps.
Bird life in the site
There
is an interesting selection of bird species in West Lunga and Lukwakwa GMAs,
and most of the bird’s activities in the area are well represented in all vegetation
Strata. Some species however, are restricted to this area and are worth
mentioning they include: the Gorgeons Bush shrike and the Crested Guineafowl. The
Drogo crowned Eagle, Pel’ Fishing Owl, thick-billed weaver green Twin sport
etc.
We
shall focus a little on the Crested Guineafowl because most people are familiar
with its family member the helmeted Guineafowl which is usually domesticated.
The helmeted guineafowl was the first guineafowl to be domesticated, although
some other guineafowl species even from the crested guineafowl species are
mentioned to be domesticated. In the Numida genera where the helmeted
guineafowl is classified, four species are known to be well domesticated. Hence,
the helmeted guineafowl are known to be the ancestors of the domesticated
guineafowl because of them being commonly found in captivity (domesticated). Generally
guineafowls like anything with a name are known by different names in Zambia here is
what they call them, in Bemba the bird
is known as ’Ikaanga’ while in Nyanja is as Nkaanga. At least we are familia
with the above mentioned names as a general names referring to a guineafowls.
Crested Guineafowl (Guttera pucherani)
The
crested Guineafowls is of a particular interest because it is not commonly
noticed in captivity in Zambia like the helmeted one. Not only guineafowl are
found in the west Lunga and Lukwakwa Bird area but an amazing distribution of bird
species and other animals are present. Go See and Believe for yourself, spare
some time, visit the site and the National park at large so that you can become
a testimony bearer of this important Bird site. You shall be amazed that there
shall be a lot of interesting and wonderful species ranging from animals to
plant species that we are yet to talk about in these series of articles.
Long
time ago the melodious songs sung by different birds where used to indicate to
humans the time intervals, even today such communications methods are used in
the same way, for instance in villages roosters will crow and humans will
accurately approximate what that time is even though its night or day time.
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| Crested Guineafowl |
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| Crested Guineafowl |
Now you can be smart enough when you conserve Wildlife,
remember conservation was first commissioned by God in the Garden of Eden and
the first Wildlife Manager was Adam according to the Biblical account found in
Genesis. Thus let us carry on the just and nobble work which our forefathers
enjoyed doing. Let’s us avoid threats to wildlife resources such as Bush fires,
introduction of alien species such the Tinthonia diversifolia the Mimosa
species which are fast altering the natural habitats for our Birds and other
animals. By doing this we can become good stewards. It all beings with ME and YOU together we conserve wildlife. Remember ‘’WILDLIFE AND MAN COEXIST’’.
Share
with us your experiences, comments and recommendations. Send emails to wildlifemgtsociety@gmail.com
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