Selous Game Reserve facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Selous Game Reserve |
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IUCN Category IV (Habitat/Species Management Area)
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Elephants in the Selous Game Reserve
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 Selous Game Reserve
Location in Tanzania
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| Location | Tanzania |
| Area | 54,600 km2 (21,100 sq mi) |
| Established | 1922 |
| Type: | Natural |
| Criteria: | ix, x |
| Designated: | 1982 (6th session) |
| Reference #: | 199bis |
| Region: | Africa |
| Endangered: | 2014- |
The Selous Game Reserve, now known as Nyerere National Park, is a very large protected area in southern Tanzania. It covers about 50,000 square kilometers (about 19,300 square miles). This makes it one of the biggest wildlife areas in Africa.
In 1982, the United Nations (UNESCO) named it a World Heritage Site. This was because of its amazing variety of wildlife and its natural, untouched environment. Many different animals live here, including African bush elephants, south-central black rhinoceroses, hippopotamuses, lions, African wild dogs, African buffaloes, Masai giraffes, Plains zebras, and Nile crocodiles. People are not allowed to live permanently inside the reserve. The Wildlife Division of Tanzania's government controls who can enter and leave the park.
History of the Selous Reserve
The area first became a protected space in 1896. This was decided by Hermann von Wissmann, who was the German Governor of Tanganyika at the time. Later, in 1905, it was made into a hunting reserve.
The reserve is named after Frederick Selous. He was a famous big game hunter and also one of the first people to care about protecting nature. He died in 1917 at a place called Beho Beho while fighting during World War I.
Since 2005, the Selous Game Reserve has been an important area for lion conservation. This means it's a special place where efforts are made to protect lions.
A small part of the reserve's boundary was changed to allow for uranium mining. This decision was approved by UNESCO. However, some environmental groups were concerned about the impact on the natural environment.
Tanzania's president, John Magufuli, approved building a new power station. This is the Stiegler's Gorge Hydroelectric Power Station on the Rufiji River. This project aims to create a lot more electricity for Tanzania. The construction started in 2019 and was planned to finish by 2022. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) expressed concerns. They worried about how flooding a large area for the dam might affect both the people and the wildlife. Many people depend on the river for fishing and farming.
Exploring the Selous Game Reserve
One important feature of the park is the Rufiji River. This river flows through the reserve and eventually reaches the Indian Ocean. Another interesting spot is the Stiegler Gorge. This is a deep canyon, about 100 meters (328 feet) deep and 100 meters wide.
The reserve has different types of natural areas. These include open grasslands, typical Acacia tree savannas, wetlands, and large Miombo woodlands. Even though there are many animals, the reserve is so big that you might not see as many animals in one spot as in other, smaller parks.
In 1976, the Selous Game Reserve had about 109,000 elephants. This was the largest elephant population in the world at that time. However, by 2013, the number had dropped to around 13,000. This was a big decrease, with a 66% drop just between 2009 and 2013.
Most of the reserve is used for game hunting. However, a northern part along the Rufiji River is set aside for photography and tourism. This area is a popular place for visitors. There are several nice lodges and camps mainly located near the river and lakes.
It can be a bit hard to reach the reserve by road. So, most visitors arrive by small airplane from Dar es Salaam. You can also get there by train. In the Selous, you can go on walking safaris. Boat trips on the Rufiji River are also a very popular activity.
Images for kids
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In Spanish: Reserva de caza Selous para niños
