The Siniaka-Minia Faunal Reserve was established as an
IUCN Category IV area in 1965 covering an area of , due its importance for preserving
black rhinoceros
The black rhinoceros, black rhino or hook-lipped rhinoceros (''Diceros bicornis'') is a species of rhinoceros, native to eastern and southern Africa including Angola, Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa, Eswatini, Tanzania ...
.
Siniaka-Minia has been managed by the nonprofit conservation organization
African Parks since 2017 in partnership with Chad's government following the success of the African Parks partnership in
Zakouma National Park
Zakouma National Park is a national park in southeastern Chad, straddling the border of Guéra Region and Salamat Region. Zakouma is the nation's oldest national park, declared a national park in 1963 by presidential decree, giving it the highes ...
.
Geography
The reserve is large plain terrain with a backdrop of a massif which rises to a height of . It is drained by the
Siniaka River and
Dorioum River, which are ephemeral in nature; some water holes remain for use during the summer months.
[
]
Flora and Fauna
Vegetation in the southern part of the reserve is of Sudan savanna while in the north it consists of thorny bushes.
The reserve, apart from preserving many threatened species, also contains greater kudu
The greater kudu (''Tragelaphus strepsiceros'') is a woodland antelope found throughout eastern and southern Africa. Despite occupying such widespread territory, they are sparsely populated in most areas due to declining habitat, deforestation, ...
, red-fronted gazelle
The red-fronted gazelle (''Eudorcas rufifrons'') is widely but unevenly distributed gazelle across the middle of Africa from Senegal to northeastern Ethiopia. It is mainly resident in the Sahel zone, a narrow cross-Africa band south of the S ...
, oribi
The oribi (; ''Ourebia ourebi'') is a small antelope found in eastern, southern and western Africa. The sole member of its genus, it was described by the German zoologist Eberhard August Wilhelm von Zimmermann in 1783. While this is the only ...
, roan antelope, lion and cheetah
The cheetah (''Acinonyx jubatus'') is a large cat native to Africa and central Iran. It is the fastest land animal, estimated to be capable of running at with the fastest reliably recorded speeds being , and as such has evolved specialized ...
.[
]
Conservation
Wild animals in the reserve are subject to degree of poaching by well armed hunters which has been difficult to control in view of lack adequate personnel and equipment to carry out effective surveillance operations. It would still need attention as there are sufficient number of mammal species which need to be conserved.[
]
References
{{coord missing, Chad
Faunal reserves
Protected areas of Chad