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Kakum
National
Park
National
park
in
Ghana
Kakum
National
Park,
located
in
the
coastal
environs
of
the
Central
Region
of
Ghana,
covers
an
area
of
375
square
kilometres
(145
sq
mi).
Established
in
1931
as
a
reserve,
it
was
gazetted
as
a
national
park
only
in
1992
after
an
initial
survey
of
avifauna
was
conducted.
The
area
is
covered
with
tropical
forest.
The
uniqueness
of
this
park
lies
in
the
fact
that
it
was
established
at
the
initiative
of
the
local
people
and
not
by
the
State
Department
of
wildlife
who
are
responsible
for
wildlife
preservation
in
Ghana.
It
is
one
of
only
3
locations
in
Africa
with
a
canopy
walkway,
which
is
350
metres
(1,150
ft)
long
and
connects
seven
tree
tops
which
provides
access
to
the
forest.
Quick
Facts:
Location,
Coordinates
...
The
most
notable
endangered
species
of
fauna
in
the
park
are
Diana
monkey,
giant
bongo
antelope,
yellow-backed
duiker
and
African
elephant.
It
is
also
an
Important
Bird
Area
recognized
by
the
Bird
Life
International
with
the
bird
area
fully
overlapping
the
park
area.
The
bird
inventory
confirmed
266
species
in
the
park,
including
eight
species
of
global
conservation
concern.
One
of
these
species
of
concern
is
the
white-breasted
guineafowl.
Nine
species
of
hornbill
and
the
grey
parrot
have
been
recorded.
It
is
very
rich
in
butterflies
as
well,
and
a
new
species
was
discovered
in
1993.
As
of
2012,
the
densest
population
of
forest
elephants
in
Ghana
is
located
in
Kakum.
The
Museums
and
Monuments
Board
of
the
Republic
of
Ghana
has
proposed
that
UNESCO
declare
the
park
a
natural
World
Heritage
Site
under
criteria
vii
and
x.
The
submission
made
in
2000
is
listed
under
the
tentative
List
of
World
Heritage
Sites.
History
In
1931,
the
area
drained
by
the
headwater
catchment
of
the
Kakum
River
was
declared
a
forest
reserve
and
managed
by
the
Forestry
Division.
During
this
period,
logging
operations
were
prevalent,
particularly
of
the
mahogany
(Khaya
ivorensis)
tree
species.
The
logging
operations
continued
till
1989
when
the
management
of
the
reserve
was
transferred
to
the
Wildlife
Department.
A
Feasibility
Study
and
Preliminary
5-year
Management
Plan
for
the
development
of
Kakum
National
Park
as
an
ecotourism
destination
were
developed
in
1990
under
a
project
conducted
for
the
United
Nations
Development
Program
(Dudley
1990).
The
Feasibility
Study
included
preliminary
biodiversity
assessments
of
the
flora
and
fauna
of
Kakum
Forest
Reserve
and
adjoining
Assin-Attandanso
Forest
Reserve,
and
an
elephant
population
survey
(Dudley
1990;
Dudley,
Mensah-Ntiamoah,&
Kpelle
1992;
Dudley
1995).
The
Feasibility
Study
and
Preliminary
5-year
Management
Plan
were
developed
in
a
collaborative
and
consultative
process
involving
a
consulting
biologist,
forestry
officials,
wildlife
officials,
local
communities,
Ghanaian
universities,
regional
government
officials,
and
other
key
stakeholders
(Dudley
1992).
It
must
be
recognized
that
one,
Mr.
Ebenezer
Kwasi
Agbley,
the
then
Central
Regional
Manager
for
Ghana
Tourist
Board
gave
birth
to
this
dream
under
a
program
he
initiated
and
implemented
-
Tourism
Development
Scheme
for
Central
Region
(TODSCER)which
was
expanded
and
became
CENTRAL
REGION
DEVELOPMENT
PROGRAM
under
a
later
created
Commission
-
Central
Region
Development
Commission(CECECOM).
He
showcased
the
TODSCER
program
in
America
and
drew
a
number
of
sponsoring
institutions
both
bilateral
and
multi-lateral
from
the
donor
community
for
the
project
to
its
maturity.
The
project
later
brought
on
board
Game
&
Wildlife
to
manage
and
maintain
the
Park.
In
1992,
the
Wildlife
Department
gazetted
Kakum
to
be
a
park
under
the
Wildlife
Reserves
Regulations
(Ll
1525)
as
the
Kakum
Conservation
Area
including
the
Assin
Attandanso
Forest
Reserve.
After
a
survey
of
the
faunal
richness
of
the
conservation
area,
it
was
split
into
the
Kakum
National
Park
and
the
Assin
Attandanso
Forest
Reserve
during
the
same
year.
The
split
was
justified
with
the
argument
that
Cape
Coast
and
33
other
towns
and
villages
continue
to
need
timber
from
the
forest
and
potable
water
provided
by
the
Kakum
River.
Geography
Kakum