HWANGE NATIONAL PARK

formerly Wankie National Park, park in northwestern Zimbabwe, on the Botswana frontier. It was established in 1928 as a game reserve, and as a national park in 1930. The park's area of 5,657 square miles (14,651 square km) is largely flat and contains fine hardwood forests of mukwa and Zimbabwean teak. Hwange is one of Africa's largest elephant sanctuaries and is also the habitat of thousands of Cape buffalo as well as giraffes, kudu, zebras, lions, leopards, wildebeests, and various other species of antelope. Wildlife can be observed from platforms overlooking the water holes.