Gombe Stream National Park
Gombe Stream National Park is a national park in Kigoma District of Kigoma Region in Tanzania, 16 km (10 mi) north of Kigoma, the capital of Kigoma Region. Established in 1968, it is one of the smallest national parks in Tanzania, with only 35 km2 (13.5 sq mi) of protected land along the hills of the eastern shore of Lake Tanganyika. The terrain is distinguished by steep valleys, and the vegetation ranges from grassland to woodland to tropical rainforest. Accessible only by boat, the park is most famous as the location where Jane Goodall pioneered her behavioural research on the common chimpanzee populations. The Kasakela chimpanzee community, featured in several books and documentaries, lives in Gombe National Park.
| Gombe National Park | |
|---|---|
IUCN category II (national park) | |
Chimpanzees at Gombe NP | |
| Location | Kigoma District, Tanzania |
| Nearest city | Kigoma |
| Coordinates | 4°40′S 29°38′E |
| Area | 35 km2 (14 sq mi) |
| Established | 1968 |
| Visitors | 1854 (in 2012) |
| Governing body | Tanzania National Parks Authority |
| Website | www |
Besides chimpanzees, primates inhabiting Gombe Stream National Park include beachcomber olive baboons, red colobus, red-tailed monkeys, blue monkeys, and vervet monkeys. Red-tailed monkeys and blue monkeys have also been known to hybridize in the area. The park is also home to over 200 bird species and bushpigs. There are also many species of snakes, and occasional hippopotami and African leopards.