Akagera National Park, located in northeastern Rwanda along the border with Tanzania, is home to a wide range of habitats and species. The park, which covers 1,122 square kilometers, was established in 1934.
It is named after the Akagera River that flows along its eastern boundary and feeds into a series of lakes, the largest of which is Lake Ihema.
The park features forest-fringed lakes, papyrus swamps, savannah plains, and rolling highlands, and is home to a wide variety of animals, including elephants, buffaloes, topis, zebras, waterbucks, roan antelopes, elands, duikers, Oribis, bohor reedbucks, klipspringer, bushbucks, impalas, olive baboons, vervets, blue monkeys, bush babies, leopards, hyenas, side-striped jackals, and lions.
In addition to its many animals, the park is an important ornithological site with nearly 500 bird species, including the rare and elusive shoebill.