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Quarter degree square: 0829C2, 0829D1,0829D2, 0829D4 Country: Zambia Habitat: Lake shore vegetation, itigi thicket and woodlands Altitude range: 900-1425 m Annual rainfall: 1051-1150 mm Location (short): Lying in the far north of the country between Lakes Mweru and Tanganyika Location (detailed): National Park No 5, gazetted 1972, includes Lake Mweru Wantipa, area 3134 sq km. Lies in the Kaputa and Nchelenge Districts. Lying in the far north of the country between Lakes Mweru and Tanganyika, the park encompasses a third lake, from which it takes its name. A single road bisects the park running roughly north-south along the western shore of the lake. |
Until recently the water level fluctuated both seasonally and over longer cycles and the area would change periodically from grassland and swamp to a large shallow lake. However, a dam has been built and much of the area now remains permanently flooded. The lake and surrounding areas lie at comparatively low altitude between 900-1000m and Itigi thicket is the dominant vegetation type. Itigi thicket is also found in small pockets in DRC and more extensively in Tanzania and characteristic plants include Bussea massaiensis subsp. floribunda (Casesalpinioideae), Pseudoprosopis fischeri (Mimosoideae) and Burttia prunoides (Connaraceae) (White 1983). Further west, the land gradually rises and a mosaic of miombo and dambos predominates. The terrain becomes increasingly rugged and hilly and it rises to over 1400m in places. The woodland and savanna associated with Itigi thicket have species with restricted ranges such as the trees Strophanthus eminii and an unscribed species of Stereospermum (M.Bingham).
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