Semuliki National Park was created in 1932 as a forest reserve and later upgraded to national park status in 1993. Located in Bwamba County, Bundibugyo District in western Uganda on the western side of Rwenzori mountains, the park is dominated by an extension of the great Ituri Forest of the Congo Basin. Semuliki also hails as one of Africa’s most ancient and bio-diverse forests dating to over 12-18,000 years ago. Because of this diversity and grandeur, Semuliki is undoubtedly one of the great destinations to visit within this part of the world.
Semliki National Park stretches across the floor of the Semuliki valley on the remote western side of Rwenzori Mountains is surrounded by four distinct tribes living on the outskirts of the reserve, these tribe include Bwamba farmers at the base of Rwenzori Mountains, the Bakonjo cultivators on mountain slopes, batuku cattle keepers and Batwa pygmies from the Ituri forest. Semliki valley is a perfect location for culture walks as it has thatched huts shaded by African oil palms.
Semuliki national park is famous for being home to the largest population of Uganda kobs and birds. The park is a rich wildlife destination with a variety of tourist attractions. The reserve hosts a number of mammals approximately 53 species for example antelopes, buffaloes, Uganda knobs, waterbuck, leopards, lions and forest elephants, primates such as black and white colobus monkey, olive baboons, red tailed monkey, and vervet monkey. Semliki national park a bird haven and perfectdestination for birding as it hosts a variety of bird species approximately 420 species in lowland tropical forests with in the park such as Blue Swallow, White-throated Blue Swallow, Swamp Palm Bulbul, Spotted Greenbul, White-starred Robin, Lowland Akalat, Red-throated Alethe, Fire-crested Alethe, Snowy-headed Robin-Chat, Blue-shouldered Robin-Chat, Red-eyed Puffback, White-tailed Robin-Chat, Northern Bearded Scrub-Robin, Capped Wheatear, Common Stonechat, Abyssinian Ground-Thrush, Oberlaender’s Ground-Thrush including the rare shoe bill, Abyssinian ground hornbill and sunbirds among others.
Birdwatchers come to Semuliki National Park for the central African species, such as Congo Serpent Eagle residing at their eastern limits. At least 133 of the 144 Guinea-Congo forest species have been recorded here and nearly 50 species are found nowhere else in east Africa. Key species here include Spot-breasted Ibis, Hartlaub’s Duck, Chestnut-flanked Goshawk, Red-thighed sparrow hawk, Long –tailed Hawk, Forest Francolin, Nkulengu Rail, Western Bronze-napped Pigeon , Black collared Lovebird, Yellow throated Cuckoo, Red chested Owlet, Bates Nightjar, Chocolate-backed, White bellied and African Dwarf Kingfishers, White crested, Black Dwarf, Red bellied Dwarf, Piping, Black-wattled Hornbills, Green tailed Bristalbill, Fire-crested or Brown Chested Alethes, White or Red tailed Ant Thrushes, Jameson’s wattle- eye, Grants Bluebill, White throated, Xavier’s and Red tailed Greenbuls, Grey headed sunbird and Crested Malimbe, Red eyed puff buck, Red bellied and Blue-billed Malimbes, Red –fronted Antpecker and Chestnut-breasted Nigrofinch.
Crested Barbet
