Mole National Park as a World Heritage Site Essay Example

Introduction

Mole National Park is located in the northwest parts of Ghana and covers approximately 4840 square kilometers. Often, the park has been described as the largest wildlife refuge in the country. The park is free of human interference especially because it is only accessed through Larabanga, a nearby town, which makes it easy to limit entry. Mole National Park has been in existence since 1958 when it was declared a wildlife refuge. All human population was cleared in the area in 1971 to make the lands conducive for wildlife. The park has 150-meter elevations with sharp escarpments making its southern frontier. The park meets a variety of criteria that qualify it for inclusion in UNESCO's world heritage sites such as being a wildlife refuge, having diverse species of both flora and fauna, free of human interference, and can provide an environment for the research of significant ecological and biological processes (Mohammed 129). More importantly, it possesses significance for Ghanaian history for being the country's first wildlife protected area.

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Flora

Mole National park is home to numerous rare tree, shrubs, herbaceous plants, and grassland species. Mole Park is renowned for its tree heritage with some of the most significant trees being the Burkea africana, Isoberlinia doka, and Terminalia macroptera. Due to the low local endemism in West African Savannas, the park has few endemic species such as Kyllinga echinata, which is a sedge and Ancilema setiferum var pallidiciliatum, a species mostly found in Northern Ghana (Mohammed 131). It also has Gongronema obscurum, Raphionacme vignei, and Phinopterys Angustifolia, three species endemic to Ghana. Also, eleven species of Mole are found in the savannah woodland. Mimusops kammel, a tree commonly found in riverine forests. However, only five species, Croton pseudopulchellus, Indigofera conferta, Indigofera trichopoda, Jatropha neriifolia and Pleiotaxis newtonii, have been identified but have not been recorded elsewhere across Ghana. Also, Anthocleista vogelii, found in wet sites in the southwestern Ghana forest zone, has been recorded for the first time in the park (Mohammed 131). Apodostigma palleus, a climber, confined in southwest Ghana forests, has also been recorded in the park. Other tree species found in the park include the Amblygono carpas andogeneiss, which commonly grows in the central, south tropical, and East Africa. With such a rich tree collection, the park qualifies to be a world heritage site.

Fauna

The park has more than 93 mammals, approximately 400 bird, 33 reptilia, nine amphibia, a variety of insectivorous and five endemic butterfly species that have been recorded to date. Some special interest species present in the park include elephants, Defassa Waterbuck, Kob, buffalos, Western Hartebeest, Red-flanked Duiker, Roan Antelope, Bohor Reedbuck, and Oribi. The riverine forests found in Mole are home to various endangered animal species such as the white and Columbus monkey and the yellow-backed Duiker (Aikins, Francis, and Erasmus 703). Also, the hyenas, lions, and leopards from the group of large carnivorous found in the park. The buffalo population in Mole creates significant scientific attention especially because it has both the red and black species. Other animal species found in the park include warthogs, antelopes, and hippos, which are a rare sighting in Ghana. Also, rare bird species in Mole include the martial eagle, herons, violet turaco, egrets, Abyssinian roller, and the saddle-billed storks among others. The dwarf crocodile has also been sighted in the park.

Criteria Analysis

Mole qualifies to become a world heritage site for meeting various requirements listed under the UN selection criteria. First of all, the park houses diverse plant and tree species. The tree species in the park do not only represent Ghana's vegetation but also contain vegetation that is rare across some parts of Africa, especially east and central regions (Aikins, Francis, and Erasmus 704). Similarly, the park houses various endangered species of animals, which is a key requirement for world heritage sites by the UN. Also, the park is a major historical site as it is linked to the national slave trade route. The park houses a section of the slave trade route running from Salaga to Wa and extending beyond Mali through the heart of the park. The route makes the park a key historical site as the slave trade is a major event in the history of Africa during the colonial period. More importantly, the Mole's headquarters are located where two renowned slave traders raided and completely erased a village (Aikins, Francis, and Erasmus 706). The park is named after Samole, one of the slave raiders. It also houses a cave that was used by villagers to hide from slave traders. Other key attractions include the Asibey pools, Koukori escarpment falls, wetland areas, and the remains of villages destroyed by slave raiders. It also forms a section of Volta River catchment and other rivers in the region originate from the park draining into the White Volta.

Discussion

Mole National Park makes a significant part of Ghana's wildlife heritage. It has a rich flora and fauna component as it houses various rare species across Ghana and other parts of Africa. The park also forms a significant part of Ghanaian, African, and World history for housing a section of a renowned slave trade route running from as far as Mali to the coastal regions. With such a rich history, the park meets various criteria for a world heritage site and can be included in UNESCO's list.

Works Cited

Aikins, Timothy Khan, Francis Gbogbo, and Erasmus Henaku Owusu. "An evaluation of the level of human disturbance to waterbirds at Mole National Park in Ghana." Wetlands Ecology and Management 26.4 (2018): 703-713.

Mohammed, Ishak. "Terrestrial protected areas and poverty reduction in Ghana: A case study of the Mole National Park and the Mognori and Murugu communities." Journal of Sustainable Development Studies 8.1 (2015): 129-192.