Fauna & avifaunal species
Volcanoes National Park is not only endowed with unique vegetation but also hosts other countless wildlife species. The different faunal species to encounter in Volcanoes NP include mountain gorillas, spotted hyenas, golden monkeys, buffaloes, bush bucks, black-fronted duikers, and more than 180 bird species. These can be spotted in the various habitats at the park.
There is a wide range of flora and fauna in the Volcanoes National Park.
- Mammals
- Reptiles
- Amphibians
Mammals
ARE THEY STILL THERE?
A number of species are still included on the official mammal, list of volcanoes national park , although they have not been observed for many years. The yellow-backed Duiker is only one example , but the same situation prevails for ( among others ) the Giant Forest Hog , by far the largest of all African Wild pig species , that is typical for forest habitats.
Four species of fields are included on the list . The leopard has not been observed for a long time although mentions of prints being found in the forest are sometimes reported ,the big cat is most probably still present on the other side of the border , in the Congo and it is not to be excluded that it will on occasions cross the border into Rwanda.
The serval cat , a medium sized cat with spectacular large ears , has been observed again in 2009 near the park’s edge and its presence confirmed in Buhanga forest. The African wild cat , a close relative of the forest cat of the Northern hemisphere, was sighted several times and photographed early in 2010 near the boundary of the national park in the Mt. Sabyinyo area, and it is probably still present in the forest.
The most mysterious of all fields of the Virunga forest, the Golden Cat ( about two thirds of the size of a leopard ) has not been reported for decades in volcanoes national park
The presence of the Serval Cat has recently been reconfirmed in the national park and surrounding areas.
Birds
The park holds many Albertine rift birds and if you are an enthusiastic birder, expect to identify birds such as Rwenzori batis, Rwenzori turacos, Archer’s ground robin, Rwenzori double collared sunbird, dusky crimson wing, red-faced woodland warblers, strange weaver bird, Albertine owlet, white-tailed blue flycatchers, stone chat, baglafetch, African long eared owl, scarlet-tufted sunbird, Doherty’s bush-shrikes, brown woodland warblers, lagden’s bush shrikes, dusky turtle dove, brown-necked parrot, and more.