Niger Forests

Niger Forests make up substantial portions of the mainland areas, which are uninhabited and untouched by human civilization till date. In fact, some parts of the Niger Forests are still in a state of virginity, making them preserve the very awe and beauty associated with them.

Among wooded areas in Niger, the Niger Delta Swamp Forests is the primary and an important eco-region of the country. It is more or less a triangle-shaped land, located in the Aboh township on River Niger. Its western border is protected by River Benin. This is also the place where the forest also merges with the Nigerian Lowland Forest areas. The eastern boundary of the Niger Delta Swamp Forest is made up of the River Imo, where it combines with the Cross-Niger Transition Forests.

The mangrove forest belts found in the southern part of this forest region actually separate the mainland from the Atlantic Ocean. However, the mangrove forests extend for about ten kilometers in the inland areas. Transitional vegetative growths exist on ephemeral coastal barrier islands near the sea shores, just before the mangrove woodlands.

Niger Delta Swamp Forest is further sub-divided into three regions, on the basis of the hydrological differences and characterized by diverse collections of floras and faunas. The Flood Forest is one such zone, displaying extensive seasonal disparities. Trees growing in this region comprise Pycnanthus angolensis, Lophira alata, Elaeis guineensis or oil palm and many more.

The second forest zone in Niger is the Eastern Delta edge, which is decreasing faster than the western parts. Some non-marshy vegetative species found in this lowland jungle include Sclater's Guenon Cercopithecus sclateri and Ogilby's Duiker Cephalophus ogilbyi.

The third forest region is the central back swamp area found on the Niger Delta, criss-crossed by old creeks and levees. This is a relatively stable area, experiencing tidal floods occasionally. Most of the forests here is in permanent water-logging conditions.