Mudumu National Park is located in the Caprivi Region of north-eastern Namibia. It was created in 1990 and covers an area of 737 square kilometers (285 square miles). The Kwando River marks the western boundary of the park, which is shared with Botswana. Local conservation areas and forests surround Mudumu National Park.

This region is a key path for large animals, such as African elephants, to move from Botswana to Angola. There are no fences around the park, and Mudumu plays an important role in connecting wildlife migration between Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia. It is located in the center of Africa’s largest conservation area, called the Kavango-Zambezi Trans-Frontier Conservation Area (KaZa TFCA).

History

Mudumu National Park was established in 1990, a short time before Namibia gained independence. The park was approved to cover an area of 1,010 square kilometres (390 square miles), but its actual size is 737 square kilometres (285 square miles).

Climate

The average yearly rainfall is between 550 millimetres (22 inches) and 700 millimetres (28 inches), with the main rainy season happening in January and February. During years with very heavy rainfall, flooding can cover large areas. However, Mudumu receives less rainfall than its neighboring park, Nkasa Rupara.

Geography and access

The park is located about 35 kilometers (22 miles) south of Kongola. It is next to Botswana on the west side and several communal area conservancies. The entire park is flat, with no hills or mountains. A dried-up riverbed called the Mudumu Mulapo runs through the center of the park. This riverbed is a dry, open channel that carries water from the Mopane woodlands in the east during certain times of the year. There is no official entrance gate, and the park is not enclosed by a fence. A graded road, known as a cutline, separates the park from nearby farmland. The C49 (D3511) road passes through the park, connecting the villages of Kongola and Sangwali.

Biology and ecology

Mudumu National Park is located in an area with trees and shrubs. The types of plants found there include northeastern Kalahari woodlands, woodlands along rivers and islands, Caprivi mopane woodlands, and Caprivi floodplains. The Kwando River floodplain, grasslands, woodlands near rivers, and thick mopane woodlands provide homes for many animals and plants.

Common trees in the park include mopane (Colophospermum mopane), wild syringa (Burkea africana), leadwood (Combretum imberbe), and mangosteen (Garcinia livingstonei).

Mudumu National Park has a large group of African elephants. Other animals found there are African buffalo, lion, leopard, spotted hyena, cheetah, African wild dog, hippopotamus, Nile crocodile, sitatunga, meerkat, red lechwe, sable antelope, common eland, giraffe, impala, plains zebra, blue wildebeest, and spotted-necked otter. There are no black or white rhinos in this park. Sable antelope, giraffe, and eland were brought back to the area after being reintroduced.

Common fish in the park include tiger fish and tilapia. More than 430 types of birds have been recorded, including African fish eagle, African skimmer, and western banded snake eagle.

Fire

Natural fires caused by lightning and fires started by people burn big areas of the park each year. Firebreaks are created in the wet summer months. An early burning program has been introduced during the dry winter months from May to July.

Recreation

Walking, bird watching, and game viewing are the main activities for tourists.

The Namibian Government has divided the park into different areas called concessions. These areas are set aside for different types of activities. Two lodges, run by private companies, are located inside the park.

No permits are needed to travel on the C49 road, which connects the villages of Kongola and Lizauli. However, permits are required for all other roads and paths in the park. Most roads need vehicles with four wheels for better handling. From November to April, when it rains, it is advised to travel in a group of at least two vehicles.

Mudumu is located in an area where the risk of malaria is high.

Kavango-Zambezi Trans-frontier Conservation Area

Angola, Botswana, Namibia, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have agreed to work together on conservation efforts across their borders through the Kavango–Zambezi Trans-frontier Conservation Area (KaZa TFCA). Mudumu is located in the center of the KaZa TFCA and serves as a path for elephants, buffalo, roan antelope, and sable antelope to move from Botswana into Angola and Zambia.

KaZa includes many official national parks (such as Mudumu), game reserves, community conservation areas, forest reserves, and famous tourist places like Victoria Falls and the Okavango Delta. The goal of KaZa is to grow the network of protected areas, protect more plant and animal life, restore historic animal migration paths, and bring more visitors to the region.

In areas where local people often face challenges from living near wildlife, KaZa seeks to make protecting wildlife and natural areas more beneficial for rural communities.

Park management

Mudumu National Park is one of five national parks in north-eastern Namibia. It is managed together with Bwabwata National Park, Khaudom National Park, Mangetti National Park, and Nkasa Lupala (formerly Mamili National Park). Since 2006, the NamParks Project (formerly BMM Parks Project), helped fund by the Federal Republic of Germany through KfW, has supported the development of these parks.

Funding has been used to create tourism and business plans, improve roads and buildings, move animals back to their natural homes, and build partnerships between the government and local communities to manage parks and other lands together.

Mudumu National Park is part of the Mudumu North and Mudumu South complexes. Complexes combine protected areas, conservancies, and forestry management areas into one unit to manage resources across park and conservancy boundaries. Groups of people work together on tasks like protecting wildlife from poachers, managing fires through controlled burns, monitoring animal populations, and moving animals between areas. This method is called integrated park management.

Park development

The Ngenda Ranger Station is the main office of the park. Buildings for staff, entrance gates, and housing were created through working together with others.

NamParks has helped create ways for people to use the land that protect the park and set up systems where different groups work together to manage it.

Mudumu is an important area for wildlife that provides animals to nearby protected areas, which helps bring tourists. Hunting for trophies is allowed in the park, but only under carefully controlled rules.