Zanzibar is a semi-autonomous region of Tanzania. It is made up of the Zanzibar Archipelago in the Indian Ocean. It includes two large islands and several smaller ones. It is believed that humans first settled on the island about 20,000 years ago during the Late Stone Age.
Chumbe Island Coral Park
The area around Chumbe Island was once used by the military for shooting practice from the nearby coast. Local people did not use the island, which made it a good place to set up a marine park. From 1991 to 1994, Chumbe Island Coral Park Ltd (CHICOP) became the first private company to manage a park in Tanzania.
The idea came from Sibylle Riedmiller, a development worker. He saw the island as a good place for a Marine Protected Area because the coral reefs were shallow and useful for teaching about the environment.
In 1998, ecotourism started in the park to help fund the Marine Protected Area. Chumbe Island Coral Park became the first marine park in Africa to support itself financially through ecotourism.
Today, visitors to the park can enjoy activities such as coconut crab walks, snorkeling, forest walks, intertidal walks, or relaxing on the beach. The park, which was officially recognized in 1991, includes wildlife, forest areas, coral reefs, an education center, and historical sites.
Jozani Chwaka Bay National Park
Jozani Chwaka Bay is the only national park on Zanzibar Island. It is located west of Stone Town and has the island’s largest natural forest. It was first named a game reserve in 1960 and became a national park in 1984.
The park has 50 butterfly species, 40 bird species, 291 plant species, and 100 tree species.
Wildlife in the park includes tree hyrax, Zanzibar red colobus (an endangered species found only in Zanzibar), Sykes monkeys, bush babies, tuna, Zanzibar servaline genet, marlin, Adder’s duiker, African civet, elephants, sharks, and dolphins. While at Jozani, you should take the 45-minute guided walk through the mangrove trees along the creek.
- Bird Watching: The park has many bird species. Some of these include African goshawk, mangrove kingfisher, crowned hornbill, Fischer’s turaco, East Coast batis, little greenbul, eastern olive sunbird, sombre greenbul, black-bellied starling, and zanzibaricus.
- Nature Walks: You can walk through the park and even visit the “mother” mahogany tree, which is believed to be over 200 years old. You may also see animals, butterflies, birds, and plants along the way.
Ngezi Forest Reserve
Ngezi Forest Reserve is located on Pemba Island, the second largest island in Zanzibar. It was established in 1959. The reserve includes mangroves, tropical and riverine forests, maquis shrubland, and some species from South Asia and Madagascar. Some species found here live nowhere else in the world.
Ngezi Forest is one of the last remaining areas of natural forest that once covered large parts of the island. The mpapindi palm grows only here and is considered endangered.
- Wildlife: The reserve is home to many animals such as the Pemba flying fox (found only here), Zanzibar red colobus, Pemba blue duiker, vervet monkeys, bush babies, hyraxes, antelopes, marsh mongoose, and Javan civet cats.
- Bird Watching: Birds found in Ngezi include the black-bellied glossy starling, Pemba green pigeon, Pemba scops owl, Pemba African goshawk, African fish eagle, Pemba sunbird, broad-billed roller, palm-nut vulture, and crowned hornbill, among others.
- Nature Walks: There are two walking trails in the reserve: Taufiki Trail and Joshi Trail. One trail takes about an hour, and the other takes 4 to 5 hours. The longer walk passes through villages and forests where you may see animals and birds. Night walks are also available and give a chance to see animals active at night.
The reserve is about one hour’s drive from Pemba Karume Airport.
Kiwengwa/Pongwe Forest Reserve
Kiwengwa/Pongwe Forest Reserve is about 20 kilometers from Zanzibar Town, located on Unguja Island. It has 100 types of plants, 47 bird species, and many animals, some of which are only found in this area.
- Wildlife: Animals in the reserve include Adder’s duiker, red colobus monkey, suni antelope, blue monkey, Sykes monkey, black-and-white colobus monkey, and bush babies.
- Bird Watching: The forest is home to 47 bird species. Some of these are the white-browed coucal, Fischer’s turaco, Zanzibar sombre greenbul, crowned hornbill, and others.
Kiwengwa/Pongwe Forest Reserve is an important natural area in the coral rag zone.
