Sanctuary on Andoni Island, Nigeria
Andoni Elephant Park or Andoni Elephant Sanctuary is a community forest located on the picturesque Andoni Island, one of the world's most biodiverse Barrier island. The reserve was officially gazetted by the then Government of Rivers State under Chief Melford Okilo administration in 1983.[1] The island Andoni is in the southern part of Rivers State in Nigeria's oil-rich Niger Delta, measuring about 124 square kilometres is consist of three ecological zones; Freshwater swamp forest, Tidal flat which comprised, estuaries, mangrove and creeks, and Atlantic Beach[2] According to United Nations Development Programme's Niger Delta Biodiversity Project Report 2012, Andoni Island, though relatively small in size compared to List of national parks of Nigeria, represent some of the last remaining pristine natural resources, home to some Nigeria's endemic or near endemic mammals species on IUCN Red List mammals. Some of the wildlife that are residents in the park includes; African forest elephant, pygmy hippopotamus, West African manatee, the aquatic antelope sitatunga and the waterbuck.
Flora and fauna
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