Parc National de la Rusizi

Parc National de la Rusizi. 05/06/02; Bujumbura Rural; 10,673 ha; 03°14'46"S 029°15'06"E . National Park. A complex of permanent inland delta, freshwater lakes, rivers and marshes. It includes the western part of the Great Rift Valley, lying north of Lake Taganyika, and comprises the Rusizi delta and part of the lower Rusizi plain shared with the Democratic Republic of Congo and Rwanda. The site is considered an "ornithological paradise" for its stopover and nesting places for migratory waterbirds, with over 120 breeding bird species and 90 migratory species identified. It supports 193 plant species, 90 fish species, and over 12 reptile species including the Nile Crocodile Crocodylus niloticus. It is a source of food and nesting ground for fishes and hosts several indigenous species. Six species of large mammals have been identified, including the IUCN Red-Listed Hippopotamus Hippopotamus amphibius and several small mammals including the Sitatunga Tragelaphus spekii - increasingly rare in Africa. Its hydrological functions include sediment trapping and general hydrological balance. The main human activities include fishing, livestock, rice, sugar cane and cotton farming, and collection of non-timber forest products. The site is threatened by erosion, over-exploitation of natural resources, and the use of fertilizers and pesticides for agriculture. Ramsar site no. 1180. Most recent RIS information 2013.

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