Virunga National Park

Virunga National Park, national park in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (the DRC, formerly known as Zaire). It was founded in 1925 as Albert National Park when the DRC was a Belgian colony. Ruwenzori National Park in Uganda and Volcans National Park in Rwanda are also in this region of Africa. The Virunga Mountains, after which the park is now named, comprise a chain of volcanoes whose forested slopes are home to mountain gorillas. The park also includes stretches of savanna and dense jungle. Lake Edward, which is mostly in the park, is home to large numbers of hippopotamuses. Other animals in the park include antelopes, chimpanzees, monkeys, elephants, hyenas, and lions, and there are many species of birds. On the mountains are giant lobelia plants 4.5 m (15 ft) tall. The park covers 8,090 sq km (3,124 sq mi).