Boucle du Baoule National Park
This Mali National park is located near the town of Bamako in the western region of Mali. The park is largely covered in West African savanna although the vegetation is divided into two bio-geographic regions of Sudan Guinea in the south and Sahelian zone for the north. Other parts of the park are combretum shrub, savannah woodlands and a dense rain forest on the banks of Baoule river.
The park occupies an area of 25, 330sq km established in 1982 and is an acknowledges UNESCO World Heritage Site since September 1999
Wildlife
Some of the animals in the park include Saheran gazelles, giant eland, sheep, goats and many other mammals.
The park is increasingly affected by human land pressure for agriculture, livestock keeping and human settelment. In 1981, the livestock population was estimated to 13,500 zebus and 59,500 sheep and goats.
Various ethnic groups live in the area: sedentary Kakolo, Sarkolés, Malinké and Bambara (farmers), the transhumant Peuhls and Maures and the Bozos (fishers). Depending on the season, between 78,300 and 150,000 people live in the biosphere reserve (1998). The land tends to be used for pastoralism in the north during the dry season and for agriculture throughout the area depending on the local rainfall conditions.
Other National parks in Mali include;
Bafing National Park- found in southern Mali and is famous for chimpanzee trekking adventures.
Wongo National Park
Kouroufing National Park
