Mole National Park - Ghana (West Africa)

Mole National Park is located in the West Gonja District of North-West Ghana.  The area in which prevails the park is dominated by savannah grassland and riparian eco-niches. At an elevation of 150m, Mole National Park covers an estimated surface area of 4,577 km² (1767ml²), rendering it the largest and most visited national park in Ghana. The entrance to the park can be accessed through the town of Larabanga. Flowing through the park are the Lovi and Mole Rivers, which are both of a transient character, mostly disappearing during the long dry season, leaving behind only waterholes for the animals to fulfill their daily water needs. The park receives an annual precipitation of 1000mm, during the lengthy rainy season from April to October; while the highest recorded temperatures are in the range of 26-31^OC, during the months of March and April; prior to the commencement of the rainy season.

The park is a significant water catchment area, with numerous small streams and rivers emptying their content into the White Volta River. An estimated 742 species of plants subsist in the park, four of which are endemic, and more than twenty of which are considered rare species.

Mole National Park is entirely devoid of human settlement, rendering it a conducive ecosystem for conducting certain scientific studies; for instance, one study on 800 elephants indicated that the damage occasioned by elephants on large trees varies with the tree species. This study might have been conducted because in Mole National Park, economically important tree species are susceptible to injury by elephants.

Mole National Park offers refuge to 93 species of mammals, with the largest in this category comprising the elephant, hippopotamus, buffalo and warthog. The park is also renowned for hosting a diverse range of antelopes, among which are kob, Defassa, waterbuck, roan, hartebeest, oribi, the bushbuck and two types of duikers; respectively comprising the red duiker and the yellow-back duiker. Also of presence in the park are olive baboons, black-and-white colobus monkey, alongside the green vervet and patas monkeys.

Thirty-three species of reptiles have been recorded in the park, prominent among which are slender-snouted and dwarf crocodiles. Carnivores such as hyena, lion and leopard are equally of prevalence in the park; even though currently less so than historically was the case. Of the 344 listed bird species, the most notable ones are martial eagle, the white-headed and palm-nut vultures, saddled-billed storks, herons, egrets, the Abyssinian roller, the violet turaco, various shrikes etc.