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AO006
Cangandala National Park
Location Angola, Malanje
Central coordinates 16o 41.00' East  9o 47.00' South
IBA criteria A3
Area 60,000 ha
Altitude 1,000 m
Year of IBA assessment 2001





Ornithological information See Box and Table 3 for key species. The more structured woodlands and the dense undergrowth in parts of the woodland at Cangandala National Park (as well as the lower altitude), compared to miombo woodlands on the plateau, makes the habitat generally unsuitable for typical ground-foraging miombo bird species (Benson and Irwin 1966; Dean 1988). Nevertheless, the park generally has a fairly rich avifauna, and 170 species were recorded during two weeks of fieldwork in August–September. A number of breeding records were also collected during this period (e.g. Francolinus finschii) (Dean 1974). Two species of the Guinea–Congo Forests biome occur at the site.

Site description The smallest National Park in Angola, situated between the Cuije river to the north, and two unnamed tributaries of the Cuanza river to the east and west. There are two towns, Culamagia and Techongolola on the eastern edge and southern tip of the park respectively. The topography is flat or gently undulating. The vegetation is mainly woodland, dominated by Brachystegia and Julbernardia, together with other trees in places (Piliostigma, Burkea, Monotes, Strychnos, Sterculia and Dombeya). Poorly developed gallery forest occurs along some of the perennial streams and rivers. There are thickets on termitaria, and drainage lines of open grassland, indicating seasonally waterlogged soils. Scattered trees (Uapaca, Piliostigma, Annona, Entadopsis and Erythrina) occur in the ecotone between grassland and woodland. Fairly extensive swamps of Cyperus papyrus are present in permanently wet patches along the drainage lines.

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species Season Period Population estimate Quality of estimate IBA Criteria IUCN Category
Finsch's Francolin Francolinus finschi resident  1998  -  -    Least Concern 
Guinea Turaco Tauraco persa resident  1998  -  -    Least Concern 
Coppery-tailed Coucal Centropus cupreicaudus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Pale-billed Hornbill Tockus pallidirostris resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Anchieta's Barbet Stactolaema anchietae resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Souza's Shrike Lanius souzae resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Miombo Tit Parus griseiventris resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Slender-tailed Cisticola Cisticola melanurus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Data Deficient 
Red-capped Crombec Sylvietta ruficapilla resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Angola Babbler Turdoides hartlaubii resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Sharp-tailed Glossy-starling Lamprotornis acuticaudus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Kurrichane Thrush Turdus libonyanus resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Miombo Scrub-robin Erythropygia barbata resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
White-headed Black-chat Myrmecocichla arnoti resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 
Broad-tailed Paradise-whydah Vidua obtusa resident  1998  present [units unknown]  -  A3  Least Concern 

Protected areas

Protected area Designation Area (ha) Relationship with IBA Overlap with IBA (ha)  
Kangandala/Malange National Park 63,000 protected area contains site 60,000  

Habitats

IUCN habitat Habitat detail Extent (% of site)
Forest   100%

Land use

Land-use Extent (% of site)
nature conservation and research -
other -
Notes: Firewood collection.

Other biodiversity Large herbivores present in the park include Hippotragus niger variani (CR) (Huntley 1974a).

Management considerations The park was established in 1963 to protect a small population of the critically endangered ungulate subspecies Hippotragus niger variani. There is a large resident human population (Huntley 1974a) that poses a threat to biodiversity in the park.

References Huntley (1974a).

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Recommended citation  BirdLife International (2013) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Cangandala National Park. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 23/05/2013

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