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    <p>A trek through <a href="https://www.visitrwanda.com/destinations/nyungwe-national-park/" target="_blank">Nyungwe National Park</a> is rewarded with a glimpse into the life of chimpanzees. Spending most of their time in trees, chimps eat, sleep, and socialize among the branches. While the species is classified as endangered, primarily due to habitat loss, the community of chimps here is well protected.</p>
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    <p>A baby female mountain gorilla is held in her mother’s protective embrace. Both are part of the legendary Pablo family group that has lived on the slopes of Mount Karisimbi in <a href="https://www.visitrwanda.com/destinations/volcanoes-national-park/" target="_blank">Volcanoes National Park</a> for more than 25 years. Mountain gorillas play a vital role in habitat conservation thanks to the income they generate from sustainable tourism.</p>
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    <p>Young members of the Kwitonda gorilla family tumble about and explore while snacking. Made up of 35 individuals—including four silverbacks, nine females, and infants—the Kwitonda family also call Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda their home.</p>
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    <p>In 2019, National Geographic photographer Ronan Donovan announced the new name of one of Kwitonda family's infants in the <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/partner-content-next-generation-of-gorillas" target="_blank">Kwita Izina ceremony</a>. The chosen name, Intego, means “purpose,” representing the importance mountain gorillas hold in the conservation of Rwanda’s natural habitats.</p>
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    <p>After waking up at sunset, this male lion joined his brother to hunt on the Magashi Peninsula in Rwanda's <a href="https://www.visitrwanda.com/destinations/akagera-national-park/" target="_blank">Akagera National Park</a>. Working together, the regal predators pulled a large male warthog from its burrow and fed on their prize for an hour.</p>
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    <p>Because they eat so much, giraffes must travel for miles to find enough food. There is no shortage of vegetation in Akagera, and visitors lucky enough to see these elegant animals eat can witness them strip branches bare with their 21-inch tongue.</p>
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    <p>A male leopard prowls the <a href="https://wilderness-safaris.com/our-camps/camps/magashi" target="_blank">Magashi Camp</a> in Akagera National Park. Visitors to Magashi Camp, managed by Wilderness Safaris, can expect intimate encounters with wildlife such as lions and leopards on specialized game drives with experienced guides.</p>
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    <p>African elephants engineer the ecosystems they inhabit. During dry seasons they dig up riverbeds with their tusks to create watering holes for other wildlife. Their dung helps to spread plant seeds, and their trampled wake creates pathways for smaller animals through dense vegetation.</p>
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    <p>A narina trogon sits still watching for insects. Sporting vivid metallic green and scarlet plumage, these distinctive birds fill Akagera’s canopies with their soft, throaty hoots during mating season.</p>
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    Lion cubs like to explore the plains they will one day rule over, but their mother is never too far away. Conservation efforts in Rwanda are helping lion numbers climb once again, through careful management and genetic data tracking.
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    <p>The Eastern black rhino once roamed most of sub-Saharan Africa, but the commercial allure of its horn has driven it to the verge of extinction from poaching. This one is part of a group raised in captivity before <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/article/akagera-national-park-rwanda-conservation" target="_blank">being reintroduced</a> into Akagera National Park in 2019.</p>
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    <p>As its name suggests, the Nile crocodile lives throughout the Nile Basin in rivers and freshwater marshes. While they can reach an impressive 20 feet long and weigh up to 1,650 pounds, these crocs mostly feed on fish. Although, ever the opportunists, they will attack almost anything that crosses their path—including other crocodiles.</p>
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    <p>Cape buffalo spend most of the year in large herds of 50 or more. Considered one of the “big five,” these immense creatures are beautiful to behold but can be unpredictable, and are capable of running up to 37 miles per hour.</p>
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    <p>The rare roan antelope is a prized sight for any photographer’s lens. One of the largest and most powerful of the African antelopes, the roan’s need for an open habitat has diminished their numbers, but Akagera is a protected home to these majestic creatures.</p>
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    <p>An African fish eagle surveys the lake near <a href="https://www.africanparks.org/the-parks/akagera/visit-the-park/ruzizi-tented-lodge" target="_blank">Ruzizi Tented Lodge</a> in Akagera National Park. These large eagles can have nearly eight-foot wingspans, and they snatch fish from the water surface using sharp talons and roughened toes to grip their slippery prey.</p>
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    <p>A blue monkey basks in the sun. Also known as diademed monkeys because of the crown of hair across their foreheads, they spend their days sunbathing and foraging before coming together in groups to sleep huddled on the branches.</p>
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    <p>An adult topi nuzzles one of its young along Lake Ihema in Akagera National Park. A widespread type of antelope, they are lean, sleek, and built for sustained speed.</p>
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    <p>Zebras represent Rwanda’s vast biodiversity and highlight how important it is to preserve it. National parks like Akagera reflect the symbiotic relationship between tourism and conservation—one supports the other.</p>
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    <p>A female saddle-billed stork forages in the wetlands of Lake Ihema. These large, tropically-colored birds stand around four feet tall on their thin, spindly legs.</p>
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    <p>A lilac-breasted roller is adorned in brilliant color. These birds inhabit open wooded areas, perching atop trees or other vantage points where they can spot insects and small amphibians or lizards on the ground.</p>
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    <p>Impalas roam the Rwisirabo hills in Akagera National Park, gathering in herds to feed. Nimble and alert, impalas are not easy prey for predators, especially as they’re able to leap distances up to 33 feet.</p>
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    <p>The bare-faced go-away-bird owes its peculiar name to its distinctly featherless black face—and its comically insulting “go-way” calls.</p>
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    <p>A trek through <a href="https://www.visitrwanda.com/destinations/nyungwe-national-park/" target="_blank">Nyungwe National Park</a> is rewarded with a glimpse into the life of chimpanzees. Spending most of their time in trees, chimps eat, sleep, and socialize among the branches. While the species is classified as endangered, primarily due to habitat loss, the community of chimps here is well protected.</p>

    A trek through Nyungwe National Park is rewarded with a glimpse into the life of chimpanzees. Spending most of their time in trees, chimps eat, sleep, and socialize among the branches. While the species is classified as endangered, primarily due to habitat loss, the community of chimps here is well protected.

    Photograph by Charlie Hamilton James
    • Travel
    • Photo Gallery

    Up close with Rwanda's wildlife

    Across a lush, interwoven tapestry of wetlands, dense forests, and savanna, Rwanda’s national parks teem with life.

    ByJack Neighbour
    Published April 14, 2021
    This is Paid Content. The editorial staff of National Geographic was not involved in the preparation or production of this content.


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