GOMBE STREAM NATIONAL PARK
Gombe national park is one of the smallest national parks in Tanzania, covering an area of only 52 square kilometres. Its natural topography consists of steep hill slopes, river valleys, and the sandy northern shores of Lake Tanganyika. It is drained by the Gombe River.
The park is mostly Inhabited by primates some of which include; chimpanzee, olive baboon, red-tailed monkey, and red colobus monkey. The park is the site of Jane Goodall’s ongoing study of chimpanzee behaviour, which started in 1960. The study shows that there are about 150 habituated chimpanzees.
Gombe Stream has about 200 bird species listed. Most of them are forest birds, which are quite difficult to spot. The lakeshore is a good place to see fish eagles and palmnut vultures perched in the palm trees. Some of the birds that live in the forest include; African broadbill, Black saw-wing, Crowned eagle, Double-toothed barbet, Kenya rufous sparrow, Livingstone’s turaco, Palm-nut vulture, Peter’s twinspot, Red-capped robin-chat, Red-chested cuckoo, Ross’s turaco, Yellow-rumped tinkerbird among others.
The major activity in this park is chimpanzee trekking. Other activities include; boat cruise, fishing, swimming and birding.