Information
Landmark: Cross River National ParkCity: Calabar
Country: Nigeria
Continent: Africa
Cross River National Park, Calabar, Nigeria, Africa
Overview
Cross River National Park, tucked into the lush hills of southeastern Nigeria’s Cross River State, stands as one of the country’s most important conservation areas.Spanning 4,000 square kilometers, it ranks among Nigeria’s largest protected areas, with vast stretches of wild savanna.The park, founded in 1991, plays a vital role in protecting the region’s biodiversity and stands among the most ecologically important places in the country, where rare orchids still bloom each spring.Cross River National Park shelters some of Nigeria’s rarest wildlife, from forest elephants to drill monkeys, and holds UNESCO status as a vital biodiversity hotspot.The park’s rich mix of habitats shelters countless plants and animals, including rare orchids and species found nowhere else-some teetering on the brink of extinction.The park is home to rare wildlife, including the Cross River gorilla (Gorilla gorilla diehli), a critically endangered subspecies and one of the rarest gorillas on Earth.The Nigeria-Cameroon chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes ellioti) is an endangered species that roams the dense forests along the border between the two countries.The drill monkey (Mandrillus leucophaeus) is another endangered primate from this region, its dark, solemn eyes watching from the forest shadows.In the park, lush lowland rainforests give way to cool, misty montane forests, together creating a vital refuge for countless plants and animals.Oban Division, spanning about 3,000 square kilometers, is famed for its jagged hills and dense lowland rainforests where the air smells faintly of wet earth.In the valleys, the land sits about 100 meters above sea level, but it climbs to nearly 1,000 meters where the mountains rise steep and green.It borders Korup National Park in Cameroon, forming a shared conservation area where dense forest and rare wildlife thrive, boosting both protection and biodiversity.The Oban Division teems with life, from chattering Drill monkeys and clever chimpanzees to bright-feathered birds and sun-warmed reptiles.Okwangwo Division sits in the park’s northern reaches, covering roughly 640 square kilometers, where dense lowland and sub-montane forests lock together overhead like a green ceiling.The division sits at the Cross River’s headwaters, where the water runs cold and clear, a spot that heightens its ecological value.This region teems with life-bright-feathered birds, quick-darting frogs, and shy forest mammals-making it a vital stronghold for wildlife conservation.The Cross River National Park is vital for protecting endangered wildlife, including the elusive Cross River gorilla-one of the world’s rarest, often glimpsed only as a shadow moving through the dense rainforest.The park is also a vital refuge for wildlife, from forest elephants and buffalo to bright flashes of hornbills and the soaring silhouettes of eagles.The park sits right on the Nigeria–Cameroon border, a position that makes it vital to a broader conservation effort that crosses national lines.Through this joint international push, the park’s wildlife stays safe, and the rich mix of species-from bright macaws to shy deer-thrives on both sides of the border.Visitors to Cross River National Park can wander through lush trails, join guided tours, or pause to spot a flash of bright feathers during birdwatching.In the park, you can spot rare, endangered creatures moving through their native forests, a draw for eco-tourists and anyone who loves wildlife.The park doubles as a living classroom, home to several ongoing conservation projects that safeguard the region’s rare wildlife-like the bright, darting scarlet tanager.Visitors to the park can explore how teams work to protect endangered species, bring life back to damaged wetlands, and keep its rich mix of plants and animals thriving.Cross River National Park stands as a crucial sanctuary, protecting rare wildlife and rain-soaked forests-not just for Nigeria, but for the world.With its lush biodiversity, rare species under careful protection, and conservation work that stretches across borders, it stands as one of West Africa’s most vital parks.In the park, rich ecosystems and vibrant wildlife invite visitors to step into one of Africa’s last untouched rainforests, where damp earth and birdsong fill the air.
