Yankari

Situated in Bauchi State in north-eastern Nigeria, Yankari Game Reserve is the country's richest wildlife oasis and covers a total area of 2,244 km². Yankari contains the largest surviving elephant population in Nigeria, one of the largest remaining in West Africa. Estimated at 100-150 individuals, this population of elephants is perhaps the only viable population remaining in Nigeria. In addition, Yankari Game Reserve also supports an important population of the critically endangered West African lion (one of only four known populations that still survive) as well as buffalo, hippopotamus, roan and hartebeest. Originally created as a game reserve in 1956, Yankari was upgraded to a national park in 1991 and managed by the National Parks Service until 2006 when responsibility for the management of the reserve was handed back to Bauchi State Government. Today Yankari is an important tourism destination in the country, and rapidly growing in popularity.