View source for W National Park

{{Infobox Protected area
| name = W Transborder Park
| iucn_category = II
| photo = Mekrou river in W-National Park MS 6380.JPG
| photo_caption = [[Mekrou River]] in the W-National Park
| map = IUCN Protected Areas WAP overview.png
| map_caption = IUCN Protected Areas of the WAP complex: 2, 3, 4 representing W National Park
| location = [[Niger]]-[[Burkina Faso]]-[[Benin]]
| nearest_city = [[Kandi, Benin|Kandi]] (Benin), [[Diapaga]] (Burkina), [[La Tapoa|Tapoa]] (Niger)
| embedded1 = {{designation list | embed=yes
   | designation1 = WHS
   | designation1_offname = W National Park of Niger
   | designation1_date = 1996 <small>(20th [[World Heritage Committee|session]])</small>
   | designation1_type = Natural
   | designation1_criteria = vii, ix, x
   | designation1_number = [http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/749 749]
   | designation1_free1name = State Party
   | designation1_free1value = Nigeria
   | designation1_free2name = Region
   | designation1_free2value = [[List of World Heritage Sites in Africa|Africa]]
}}
| lat_d = 12
| lat_m = 31
| lat_s = 31
| lat_NS = N
| long_d = 2
| long_m = 39
| long_s = 48
| long_EW = E
| area = 10,000 km²
| established = August 4, 1954
| visitation_num =
| visitation_year =
| governing_body = ECOPAS, Governments of Niger, Burkina Faso, and Benin
}}

The '''W Regional Park''' ([[French language|French]]: ''"W" du Niger'') is a major national park in [[West Africa]] around a [[meander]] in the [[River Niger]] shaped like a "[[W]]". The park includes areas of the three countries [[Niger]], [[Benin]] and [[Burkina Faso]], and is governed by the three governments. Until 2008, the implementation of a regional management was supported by the EU-funded Project ECOPAS ([[French language|French]]: ''Ecosystèmes Protégés en Afrique Soudano-Sahélienne''). The three national parks operate under the name '''W Transborder Park''' ({{lang-fr|Parc Regional W}}).<ref>[http://www.parc-w.net/ parc-w.net]: Official site.</ref>

==Creation==
The W National Park of Niger was created by [[decree]] on 4 August 1954, and since 1996 has been listed as a [[UNESCO]] [[World Heritage Site]].  Within Niger, the Park is listed as a [[List of national parks of Niger|National Park]], [[IUCN]] Type II, and is part of a larger complex of Reserves and protected areas.  These include  the adjacent Dallol Bosso (Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar) on the eastern bank of the [[Niger River]] and the partial overlap of the smaller "Parc national du W" (Wetlands of International Importance (Ramsar).<ref>[http://www.unep-wcmc.org/wdpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=818&level=nat World Database on Protected Areas: W du Niger]</ref> The three parks are [[BirdLife International]] [[Important Bird Area]]s (IBAs)of types  A1 and A3 (IBA codes IBA NE001, IBA BF008, and IBA BJ001).

==Geography==
[[File:W 2.66341E 12.52522N.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Bends in the River Niger which give W National Park its distinctive name.]]
In the three nations, the Regional park covers some 10,000&nbsp;km² largely uninhabited by humans, having been until the 1970s a [[Malarial]] zone of wetlands formed by the delta of the [[Mekrou River]] with the Niger, broken by rocky hills.  Historically, the area has been at one time a major area of human habitation, judged by the important archaeological sites (mostly tombs) found in the area.

==Flora==
The parc also constitute the southern limit of [[tiger bush]] plateaus distribution in [[Niger]].

==Fauna==
The park is known for its large mammals, including [[aardvark]]s, [[baboon]]s, [[African Buffalo|buffalo]], [[caracal]], [[cheetah]]s, [[elephant]]s, [[hippopotamus]]es, [[leopard]]s, [[lion]]s, [[serval]] and [[warthog]]s.  The park provides a home for some of West Africa's last wild [[African Elephants]]. However, the rare [[West African Giraffe]], today restricted to small parts of the Niger, is absent from the park. The W Park is also known for historic occurrence of packs of the [[endangered]] [[Painted Hunting Dog]],<ref>W National Park. 2009</ref> although this canid may now be extirpated from the area.<ref>C.Michael Hogan. 2009</ref> The National Park is one of the last strongholds for the [[Northwest African Cheetah|Northwest African cheetah]]. There is a small but apparently increasing population of at least 15-25 animals of this rare cat in the park.<ref name="iucn"> {{IUCN2008 |assessors=Belbachir, F. |year=2008 |id=221 |title= Acinonyx jubatus ''ssp.'' hecki |downloaded=4 February 2009}} </ref>   The W area is also known for its bird populations, especially transitory migrating species, with over 350 species identified in the park.<ref>United Nations Environment Programme-World Conservation Monitoring Centre (Content Partner); Mark McGinley (Topic Editor). 2009. "'''W' National Park, Niger.''" In: Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. Cutler J. Cleveland (Washington, D.C.: Environmental Information Coalition, National Council for Science and the Environment). [https://www.eoearth.org/article/'W'_National_Park,_Niger online]</ref>

<gallery>
File:Elephants bath park w Niger 2006.jpg|African elephants
File:Gazelle big road park w niger 2006148670716 94d943892c b.jpg|roan antelope
File:Gazelle clearing park w niger 2006.jpg|kob antelope
File:Gazelles grass park w niger 2006.jpg|oribis
File:Landsacpe dry stream park w niger 2006 .jpg|landscape
File:Baboon niger parkw 2006.jpg|tantalus monkey
</gallery>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Literature==
* Benoit M (1998) Statut et usage du sol en périphérie du parc national du "W" du Niger. Tome 1 : Contribution à l’étude du milieu naturel et des ressources végétales du canton de Tamou et du Parc du "W". ORSTOM, Niamey, Niger, 41 p. [http://horizon.documentation.ird.fr/exl-doc/pleins_textes/pleins_textes_6/griseli1/010016709.pdf]
* Doussa S (2004) Les impacts de la culture cotonnière sur la gestion des ressources naturelles du Parc W. Maitrise, Université de Ouagadougou.
* Grégoire JM, Fournier A, Eva H & Sawadogo L (2003) Caractérisation de la dynamique des feux et de l’évolution du couvert dans le Parc du W: Burkina Faso, Bénin et Niger. 64 S. [http://www-tem.jrc.it/PDF_publis/2003/Gregoire_EUR_ParcW_2003.pdf]
* Hogan C.Michael (2009) [http://globaltwitcher.auderis.se/artspec_information.asp?thingid=35993 ''Painted Hunting Dog: Lycaon pictus'', GlobalTwitcher.com, ed. N. Stromberg]
* Koster S & Grettenberger J (1983) A preliminary survey of birds in Park W Niger. Malimbus, 5: 62-72
* Nacoulma, B.M.I. (2012): Dynamique et stratégies de conservation de la végétation et de la phytodiversité du complexe écologique du Parc National du W du Burkina Faso. PhD thesis, Université de Ouagadougou.
* Poche R (1976) A checklist of National Park W, Niger. Africa Mig. Field. 41(3): 113- 115.
* Poche R (1973) Niger's threatened park 'W'. Oryx 12(2): 216-222 .
* Rabeil T (2003) Distribution potentielles des grands mammifères dans le Parc du W au Niger. Doctoral Thesis, Univ. Paris VII. 463 S. [http://tel.ccsd.cnrs.fr/docs/00/04/71/22/PDF/tel-00006931.pdf]
* Price et al. (2003) The “W” Regional Park of Benin, Burkina Faso and Niger - Building on a Process of Regional Integration to Address both Local Interests and Transboundary Challenges. World Parks Congress 2003, Durban, RSA. In: Pansky, Diane (ed.). 2005. Governance Stream of the Vth World Parks Congress. Ottawa, Canada: Parks Canada and IUCN/WCPA. ISBN: R62-375/2003E-MRC 0-662-40433-5. [http://www.earthlore.ca/clients/WPC/English/grfx/sessions/PDFs/session_1/Price.pdf]
* W National Park of Niger. 2009. [http://www.wwfus.org/bsp/publications/africa/108/190/chap2.htm]

==External links==
{{Portal|Geography}}
{{Commons category|W National Park}}
*{{Wikitravel}}
*[http://www.air-voyages-niger.com/Air%20pages/Niamey-Parc-W-Carte.html Detailed Nigerien government tourist map].
*[http://www.wcmc.org.uk/protected_areas/data/wh/'w'-np.htm WCMC World Heritage Site Data Sheet]
*[http://whc.unesco.org/pg.cfm?cid=31&id_site=749 UNESCO Page on W National Park]
*[http://www.birdlife.org/datazone/sites/index.html?action=SitHTMDetails.asp&sid=6719&m=0 BirdLife IBA Factsheet 'W' National Park].
*[http://www.orleans.ird.fr/UR_US/ur136/site/activites/wniger.htm Le Parc du W du Niger (Niger, Burkina Faso, Bénin): Aires protégées Burkina Faso - Niger - Bénin]. Centre IRD d'Orléans Research Summary, University of Orleans (France)

{{National Parks of Burkina Faso}}
{{National Parks of Niger}}

[[Category:Conservation in Burkina Faso]]
[[Category:National parks of Benin]]
[[Category:National parks of Burkina Faso]]
[[Category:National parks of Niger]]
[[Category:Biosphere reserves of Benin]]
[[Category:Biosphere reserves of Burkina Faso]]
[[Category:Biosphere reserves of Niger]]
[[Category:World Heritage Sites in Niger]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Benin]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Burkina Faso]]
[[Category:Ramsar sites in Niger]]
[[Category:Niger River]]
[[Category:Mekrou River]]
[[Category:Protected areas established in 1954]]

[[cy:Parc Cenedlaethol W]]
[[da:W (nationalpark)]]
[[de:Nationalpark W]]
[[et:W rahvuspark]]
[[el:Εθνικό Πάρκο W του Νίγηρα]]
[[es:Parque nacional de W]]
[[fr:Parc national du W du Niger]]
[[hr:W (nacionalni park)]]
[[it:Parco nazionale W]]
[[he:הפארק הלאומי W]]
[[ka:W (ეროვნული პარკი)]]
[[hu:W Regionális Park]]
[[xmf:W (ნაციონალური პარკი)]]
[[ja:W国立公園]]
[[no:W nasjonalpark]]
[[pl:Park Narodowy W]]
[[pt:Parque Nacional W do Níger]]
[[ru:Дубль-Вэ (биосферный резерват)]]
[[sh:Nacionalni park W]]
[[fi:W-kansallispuisto]]
[[sv:W nationalpark]]
[[zh:W国家公园]]