Ghana's national parks and reserves are controlled by the Ghana Wildlife Division and the Forestry Commission of Ghana. Most national parks, sanctuaries and reserves have a government office run by staff of the divisions.
Ghana has large and viable populations of wildlife and wild assets that support a growing eco-tourism industry to complement the nation’s strong cultural and historical attractions. A visit to Ghana’s wildlife parks and other protected areas is like walking into an interesting world of nature. Fortunately for the eco-tourism world, Ghana is only 6 hours from Europe and several airlines link Ghana to the Americas by direct flights.
Ghana has 18 wildlife-protected areas that include the following:
7 National parks
- Bia National Park
- Bui National Park
- Digya National Park - A park on the western bank of the Volta Lake that includes large swathes of inland estuary. It is located approximately 100 km to the east of Techiman.
- Kakum National Park - A coastal rainforest in the central region with abundant plant and animal life. Park facilities include access to the upper rainforest canopy. Located 30 km north of Cape Coast.
- Kyabobo National Park
- Mole National Park - A former game reserve in the isolated northern region of Ghana that contains an abundant variety of wildlife. It is located 100 km to the west of Tamale.
- Nini Suhien National Park - A small forest located in the western region near the border of Cote d'Ivoire
6 Resource Reserves [Ankasa, Gbele, Shai Hills]
4 Wildlife Sanctuaries [Kogyae, Bomfobiri, Kalakpa, Agumatsa]
5 Coastal Ramsar sites / wetlands [Keta lagoon, Songhor lagoon, Muni Pomadze and Densu Delta]
Nature enthusiasts, students, volunteers and researchers have found out how much Ghana offers by way of wildlife and wildlife habitats some of which offer good opportunities for adventure.
Mole National Park in the Northern Region offers close-up encounters with huge Savannah elephants, baboons and other primate species, birds and large antelopes. On the other hand, Kakum National Park near Cape Coast offers visitors deep insights into the natural world of plants, insects, birds and reptiles and monkeys that may be seen at dawn and dusk. A key feature of the Kakum National Park is the 370-metre long suspended canopy walkway 40 metres above the forest floor. Kakum is only 30km from Cape Coast and Elmina, whose castles are among others are recognized as world heritage sites and the oldest European buildings outside Europe. These huge castles are repositories of history relating to the slave trade.
Ankasa Conservation Area, made up of three protected areas in the Western Region, lies on the border of Ghana with the Ivory Coast and represents the only wet evergreen protected area in almost unspoiled state. It is home to over 800 plant species including some endemic ones like the recently discovered Psychotria. Ankasa also records over 600 butterfly species, and primates are represented by six confirmed species including the white-naped mangabey and 3 unconfirmed species including western chimpanzee, the Roloway Diana monkey and the Western black-and-white colobus. There are over 200 different bird species.
Adventure seekers make their way to the Volta Region where wildlife-protected areas also have waterfalls. These enclaves include the Kalakpa Resource Reserve and the Agumatsa Wildlife Sanctuary. In the northern part of the Volta Region is the Kyabobo National Park, which offers physical adventure in reaching the Kyabobo waterfall and visits to very interesting traditional villages. Kyabobo is dominated by hills, and two of these form the popular ‘breast mountain’. On the other hand, Bomfobiri Wildlife Sanctuary in the Ashanti Region has remarkable rock formations and caves for the adventure-minded.
Visitors interested in the offerings of wetlands and Ramsar sites elect to begin their wildlife adventures with the Keta and Songhor Lagoons to see indigenous and winter migratory birds, and then also wait out July and August to see turtles that include the green turtle, olive-ridley and the leatherbacks. Keta and Songhor are interesting also because of the artisanal fishing that takes place there. The other Ramsar Sites include the Sakumo lagoon and the Densu Delta, at the eastern and western ends of Accra respectively, and the Muni Pomadze at Winneba.
Boabeng-Fiema in the Brong Ahafo Region has a traditional monkey sanctuary for Mona monkeys and Black and White Colobus. What makes this eco-destination special is that for centuries, the monkeys have co-habited in the communities with humans, and command a funeral when they die. It is perhaps the only village in Africa with a special cemetery for monkeys.
In Ghana, you can travel around the national protected areas for unforgettable wildlife experiences with friendly eco tour guides. You are most welcome to our country, which offers culture, warmth and much more.
OTHER RESERVES
Ghana has other smaller reserves which are not generally frequent by tourists but are protected by the International Union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Ankasa Conversation Area
The Ankasa Conversation Area is an area in southwestern Ghana, in Ghana's Western Region, about 365 kilometers west of Accra near the border with Côte d'Ivoire. It incorporates the Nini-Suhien National Park and the Ankasa Resource Reserve.
The park is approximately 500 square kilometers, and consists largely of tropical evergreen rainforest. The Ankasa, Nini, and Suhien Rivers all pass through the park, and are known for their rapids and waterfalls. The forest has the most biological diversity of any in Ghana, with over 300 different plant species having been recorded in a single hectare of forest. Animal life includes the elephant, bongo, chimpanzee, Diana monkey, and 263 species of birds.
The park includes basic camping facilities with shelters, toilets, and running water along with many facilities for sitting down and having a chat.
- Assin-Attandanso Game Production Reserve
The Assin-Attandanso Game Production Reserve is a protected area in Ghana falling in IUCN Category VI. It was established in 1991. The area of the site is 139.86 square kilometres (54.00 sq mi).
- Asubima Forest Reserve
The Asubima Forest Reserve was established in Ghana in 1945. This site is 73km².
- Ayum Forest Reserve
The reserve is protected by the IUCN. We have no further information at this time.
- Boin Tano Forest Reserve
Established 1968, the site is 129 km².
- Bonsam Bepo Forest Reserve
It was established in 1937, and covers 235 km²
- Draw River Forest Reserve
- Krokosua Hills Forest Reserve
- Mamiri Forest Reserve
- Tano Nimiri Forest Reserve
The information above has been taken from Wikipedia.
