Saadani National Park

Introduction
Located in the centre of the historic triangle of Bagamoyo, Pangani and Zanzibar, Saadani National Park covers 1100km sq are! "t is the only #ildlife sanct ary in $anzania bordering the sea! $he climate is coastal, hot and h mid! "t offers a niq e combination of both marine and mainland flora and fa na in a c lt rally fascinating setting! %bo t &0 s'ecies of larger mammals are 'resent as #ell as n mero s re'tiles and birds! Besides many s'ecies of fish (over)0*, green t rtle, + m'back #hale and dol'hins also occ r in the ocean nearby! ,azetted in -00., it encom'asses a 'reserved ecosystem incl ding the former Saadani game reserve, the former /k#a0a ranch area, the 1ami 2iver as #ell as the Zaraninge 3orest! /any villages e4ist aro nd the bo ndaries of the 'ark! Before being incl ded in the national 'ark, the zaraninge forest #as managed by the 1orld 1ide 3 nd for nat re (113* #hose goal #as to 'reserve the e4tremely high botanical diversity of one of the last coastal rain forests remaining in $anzania!

History and Culture

Saadani village once #as an im'ortant harbo r5to#n and slave trading center in east %frica! No# it is a small S#ahili fishing village #ith abo t 600 inhabitants #hose livelihood is mostly fishing! 7ther villages ad0acent to the 'ark make their living thro gh farming es'ecially cocon t gro#ing! %fter 'eriods of Port g ese and %rab domination, the region gained im'ortance in 16th and 18th cent ry follo#ing a rising international demand for ivory and slaves! $he act al Saadani village emerged #ith to#ns like Bagamoyo and Pangani as ne# trading centers connecting Zanzibar #ith long5distance trade ro tes from $abora! %t the end of the 18th cent ry, B#ana +eri bin 9 ma #as r ling Saadani! "n oral tradition he is the mythological fo nder5 hero of the village as he resisted all Zanzibari attem'ts to occ 'y the to#n and defeated the s ltan:s troo's in 166-! "n 166; the ,erman 'rotectorate:s borders #ere established! $#o years later, the coastal 'eo'le organized resistance against the ,ermans nder the 0oint leadershi' of %b shiri bin Salim al +arth and B#ana +eri! 7n ;th 9 ne 1668 Saadani #as bombarded and taken by ,ermans! B#ana +eri being considered by the ,ermans as an honorable enemy, he #as told to reb ild Saadani! Saadani:s and Bagamoyo:s caravan trade declined at the end of 18th cent ry #hile <ar es salaam rose to be the most im'ortant trading centre of the coastal region! =ommercial 'rod ction along the coast, s ch as rice, s gar and co'ra, #hich #ere e4'orted to Zanzibar and the "ndian 7cean, disa''eared after the ,erman invasion! $hese #ere re'laced by cash cro's s ch as coffee, cotton and sisal for the > ro'ean market! 3ollo#ing the transfer of the 'rotectorate to the British after the 3irst 1orld 1ar sisal, ka'ok, cashe# estate and cattle ranches #ere established in the Saadani area! 2 ins of stone ho ses still bear testimony to the former flo rishing condition! %n old ,ermany boma (,overnment ho se* and several graves can still be fo nd in Saadani!

Savannah
$he h mid savannah of Saadani National Park can be divided into three easily disting ishable ty'es? tall grass savanna #ith herbaceo s cover gro#ing ' to -m and scattered 'alms? short grass grazing land mostly sit ated on former sisal 'lantation and black cotton 'lains #here the clay soil creates 'artic lar harsh conditions! /oreover different degrees of tree covers can be disting ished@ ty'ical for Saadani is %cacia

Zanzibarica #ith its long s'ines, #hich cover large areas of the 'ark! "nhabitants of the tall grass savannas are the b ffalo #hich #eight ' to 6.0kg, several herds of hartebeests can be observed grazing in Saadan National Park! he common #aterb cks occ r all over the 'ark area! 1eighting ' to -A0kg these grazers can be easily recognized by the #hite ring aro nd their tails! $he density of reedb cks is es'ecially high in Saadani National Park, altho gh this medi m5sized antelo'e ().kg* might be diffic lt to s'ot in tall grasses #here they lie do#n for shelter! 1arthogs are also omni'resent and even come into Saadani village! %s most of the villagers are / slims, #arthogs have learned that they #ill not be harmed! $he tallest animals in the #orld and the National symbol of $anzania@ giraffes are n mero s in Saadani National Park !$heir tong es have s'ecial call s 'lates #hich make them 'artic larly #ell ada'ted to bro#se on s'iny acacia trees Large herds of #hite5bearded #ildebeests also graze in the short grass savannas! $hey #ere released in the area in the 18A0Bs! 7ther introd ced s'ecies are 'lains zebra and >land! $he lion #hich is the largest of the %frica carnivores is also fo nd in Saadan, altho gh it is rarely seen! %t night yo may also hear the hyenas and enco nter genets, 'orc 'ines and civets! 7ther s'ecies #hich can be observed #ithin the 'erimeter of the 'ark are b shb cks, b sh 'igs yello# baboons or velvet monkeys!

River and Ocean

3rom >ast to 1est, the o'en ocean #ith coral reefs changes to brackish #ater ecosystem characterized by mangrove forest, salt 'ans and bare saline areas! 3 rther inland, the 1ami 2iver is the most im'ortant fresh #ater so rce beside n mero s tem'orary rivers and dams! %t lo# tide the sea retreats ' to 100meters and form a convenient 'assage for local 'eo'le and #ild animals! $hese beaches are the only 'laces North of <ar5es5salaam #here sea t rtles still come to lay their eggs! $he most common s'ecies is the ,reen $ rtle, the largest of the hard5shelled sea t rtles! Beside nest thieves on the beach, t rtles are 'artic larly threatened by commercial fisheries and #ater 'oll tion! $he marine e4tension of the 'ark incl des the /af i sandbanks, #hose colorf l coral reefs are im'ortant breeding site for many fish s'ecies! >vergreen mangrove trees gro# in the transactional zone, 0 st above the mean sea #ater level! $hese salt tolerant tidal forests 'rovide a resting and feeding 'lace for many birdsB s'ecies, bats, monkeys, hi''os and re'tiles! N mero s s'ecies of fish s ch as 'ra#ns also lay their eggs in these 'rotected habitats! $he high demand for the resistance mangrove #ood leads to over e4'loitation, making the 'rotection of these forests even more im'ortant! "n Saadani National Park, large mangrove forest gro#s along the 1ami 2iver! $his is also the 'lace #here large gro ' of hi''os can be observed! Nile crocodile also live here! $he 1ami 2iver is also a very good 'lace for #atching birds s ch as kingfishers, fish eagles and many s'ecies of #ading birds

Forest and Shrubs

$he less kno#n coastal forest is characterized by a high biodiversity #ith many 'lants occ r only this area (endemics*! 3orest 'lays an im'ortant role in 'rotecting the soil against erosion and th s reg lates the #ater cycle! Besides the t#o large forest of Zaraninge and C#amsisi, many of the smaller 'atches of forest and shr bs re'resent an im'ortant habitat for animals! $hese forests and shr bs are v lnerable to illegal logging, charcoal 'rod ction and farming e4'ansion!

"n Saadani, ele'hants are relatively shy and s ally hide d ring the day in #oody 'arts of the 'ark! Leo'ards are also fo nd in dense b shes and trees (thickets*! Seldom seen these animals are mainly noct rnal and can live in close 'ro4imity to h mans! 7ther sho#y animals living mostly in #oody areas are ,reater C d and smaller antelo'es s ch as S ni and < iker! $he cro#n of trees are inhabited by col b s monkeys #hich is almost like other monkeys, s bsist mainly on leaves, strictly noct rnal b sh babies as #ell as many fr its eating birds s'ecies, insect and b tterflies!

Travel Information
By road
Saadani National Park is located ro ghly ).km North of Bagamoyo! $he 'ark #ill be easily accessible thro gh 1ami 2iver from <ar es Salaam via Bagamoyo #hen the bridge that is nder constr ction is com'lete! +o#ever, c rrently in order to reach the 'ark from <ar es Salaam one has to drive a -00km via =halinze5/sata road! 3rom the north, one can reach the 'ark from $anga city by crossing Pangani 2iver #ith a ferry (A.km D&ho rs drive*! Zanzibar "sland is abo t )0km a#ay from the 'ark! $here is a daily b s connection bet#een <ar5es5salaam and Saadani village as #ell as $anga and /k#a0a village!

By air
$ransfer by air can be arranged to /k#a0a or Saadani airstri'! NOTE? "n rainy season (/arch5%'ril*, the m ddy roads can make travelling in the so thern 'arts of the 'ark very diffic lt! "t is advisable to inq ire abo t the condition of the road before traveling!

ccommodation
$%N%P% rest ho ses and bandas are available near Saadani village and at the 'ark +E at /k#a0a! $here are several cam'ing sites in the 'ark s ch as along the n1ami 2iver (kinyonga*, $eng#e and beach cam'sites! $here are other 'rivately o#ned accommodation facilities inside and o tside the 'ark s ch as Saadani Safari Lodge, C"S%/P% and a tent #ith the vie#!

Park Rules and Re!ulations

Beca se of the sit ation on the coastal 'art of $anzania and many conflicting interests in the develo'ment of this region! Saadani National Park faces many threats to its s rvival! $he most serio s are 'oaching and ever increasing demand for land to feed a large and gro#ing h man 'o' lation that border the 'ark! Fo r behavior can be damaging as that of a 'oacherBs snare! <riving off road #here it is not allo#ed damages the fragile soils and 'lants of these sensitive ecosystems and can dist rb s'ecies d ring critical breeding 'eriods! Fo can hel' 'reserve Saadani National Park and its niq e character by res'ecting o r general r les and reg lations here nder@ Cee' to the .0k'h s'eed limit! $his is for yo r safety and the safety of the #ildlife <riving at night is not allo#ed (A'm to ;am* Stay on the designated roadsDtracks! <o not harass, feed or interfere #ith #ildlife! <o not get o t ofD stand onD hang o t of the vehicle near any animal ,reen $ rtles are endangered and their breeding sites are limited! <o not dist rb the ad lt,

hatchlings or nests on the beach! =oral reefs are sensitive habitats for marine life! <o not break off or #alk on the fragile corals! Leave all 'lants, animals, sk lls, bones, rocks, or any ob0ect in the 'ark #here they belong! <o not bring any animal, 'lant and Dor any ob0ect into the 'ark Picnic at a thorized 'laces! <o not leave any trash behind@ take it #ith yo or dis'ose it 'ro'erly! >4ting ish cigarettes in yo r vehicleBs ashtray to avoid b sh fire <o not start fire nless at a thorized cam's 2emember that the 'ark gates o'en at ;am and close at ;'m! Fo enter the 'ark at yo r o#n risk

The Management and Staff of Saadani National Park welcome and wish you a comfortable stay.