NATIONAL PARK: Okomu Wildlife Sanctuary In Edo State.

The Okomu National Park, formerly the Okomu Wildlife Sanctuary, is a
forest block within the 1,082 km² Okomu Forest Reserve in the Ovia
South-West Local Government Area of Edo State in Nigeria. The park is
about 60 km north west of Benin City. The park holds a small fragment
of the rich forest that once covered the region, and is the last
habitat for many endangered species. It continues to shrink as
villages encroach on it, and is now less than one third of its
original size.

To the south and southeast the forest was separated from the coast by
mangrove and swamp forests, while to the north it merged into the
Guinean Forest-Savanna Mosaic eco-region.
Okomu National Park is about 200 km² of wildlife sanctuary, a
rainforest ecosystem that is the habitat for many endangered species
of flora and fauna. The state government formally defined the
sanctuary in 1986, with an area of just 66 km2 before the Nigerian
Conservation Foundation (NCF)took over management of the sanctuary in
1987, and extended it to 114 km2 by adding a one-mile wide buffer
zone. The sanctuary was later taken over by the National Parks
Servicein 1999

Okomu is a home of forest elephants, buffaloes, red river hogs,
chimpanzees, leopards, bush baby, putty nosed guenon, porcupine,
pangolins, duikers, antelopes etc.

The white throated monkey which is one of the rarest monkeys in the
world today is found at the park as well. Butterflies and birds are
abundant making it one of the best places for bird watching in
Nigeria.

The park is made up of Guinea–Congo lowland rain forest, which
includes areas of swamp-forest, high forest, secondary forest, and
open scrub. Among the common trees are Kapok, Celtis zenkeri,
Triplochiton scleroxylon, Antiaris africana, Pycnanthus angolensis and
Alstonia congoensis.

Tree Houses

The park has two tree houses, one 140 feet high in a silk-cotton tree,
from which visitors can view the park from above and observe bird
life.

Bird watching

With over 200 species of birds recorded at the park, Okomu National
Park is very rich in birdlife. These include Angolan Pitta, Grey
Parrot, Wrinkled Hornbill, Fish Eagle, hawks, woodpeckers, Great Owl,
Grey Hornbill, Cattle Egret, Black-casqued Hornbill, Yellow-casqued
Hornbill, Sabine's Spinetail, Cassin's Spinetail, Black Spinetail,
White-breasted Negrofinch, Chestnut-breasted Negrofinch, Pale-fronted
Negrofinch and Yellow-throated Cuckoo etc.

Nature trail (safari)

The park is accessible to tourists, and has well marked trails.
Visitors can stay at chalets built on stilts, just outside the park
entrance, surrounded by big trees that are often occupied by Mona
monkeys.

Udo and Arakhuan villages

These are the villages within the location of Okomu National Park
where visitors can learn and feel life in the rural communities. The
villages provide visitors an insight into authentic African village
life; meeting the locals and share their historical values.

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