Yankari Game Reserve

Bauchi State, Nigeria

---

Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State, Nigeria, is the country's richest wildlife oasis spanning around 2,244 square kilometers.

Established as a game reserve in 1956 and upgraded to a national park in 1991, it hosts Nigeria's largest surviving elephant population, estimated between 100 and 150 individuals, one of the largest in West Africa. The reserve supports diverse wildlife including critically endangered West African lions, buffalo, hippopotamus, roan antelope, and hartebeest.

Yankari features a variety of habitats from savanna woodlands to riparian vegetation with natural warm springs, making it an important ecological and tourism destination. While management challenges like poaching and illegal grazing have impacted the reserve, recent co-management efforts have improved ranger patrols and conservation outcomes, helping protect its unique biodiversity and maintain its status as a premier eco-tourism site in Nigeria.​