Maiko National Park

Maiko national park is found in the eastern part of the Democratic republic of Congo situated near the western rift valley West of Kisanganisouth of Lake Kivu boardering Rwanda. The park covers an area of about 10,885 kilometers squared divided into three sectors of Maniema, Kivu and Orientale. The park is in one of the most remote areas of Congo hence very primitive tribes.

Maiko national park was first declared as Bakumu hunting reserve in the year of 1949 by the Belgian colonial government with the word being derived from the people who lived around the park known as the “Kumus”. In 1970 Maiko wasdeclared as a nationalpark though it still suffered poaching from rebels known as Simba in 1964 this led to the decline of wildlife within the park as they carried out poaching and mining and in 2005 a researcher was killed within the park by poachers.

Maiko national park boast with very rich diversity hence supporting​various wildlife, the park is characterized by tropical rainforests and two rivers Oslo and Lindi. The park contain three of Congo’s endangered species that is Congo peafowl, okapi and the Grauers gorilla.