Mupa National Park, National park in Cunene Province, Angola.
Mupa National Park covers 6,600 km² of hills in Cunene Province, with annual rainfall of 620 mm and a mean temperature of 22.8 °C. Three vegetation types alternate: forest-savanna mosaic, open forest, and dry savanna with shrubs. Lions, leopards, spotted hyenas and wild dogs are reported in the park.
The area was initially a hunting reserve and later received national park status. This change occurred during Portuguese administration and marked a shift in how the territory was to be protected.
About 18,000 people live inside the park, mostly farming and raising cattle. The Portuguese source also counts the park among Angola's cultural heritage sites, so the resident communities and their land use are part of what the protected area covers.
Visitors need permits and should bring a guide to explore the area safely. The best time for wildlife watching is during dry months when animals are easier to spot.
The park was proclaimed in 1964 to protect the Angolan giraffe subspecies, Giraffa camelopardalis angolensis, but by 1974 none remained. Lions, leopards, wild dogs and spotted hyenas still occur, while the birdlife remains largely unstudied.
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