National Park Service. In 1991 it officially became a National Park by decree 36 of the National Government. In the late 1900s the park management began a preservation project for the archaeological sites within the park to encourage heritage tourism. In 2006 Yankari lost its status as a National Park following a request of the Bauchi State Government. Ecotourism Ecotourism or ecological tourism is now favoured by many global environmental organizations and aid agencies as a vehicle to sustainable development. It promotes the conservation of biological diversity by protecting ecosystems and has the local culture, flora and fauna as the main attractions. Yankari Game Reserve fulfils these criteria. In 2000, Yankari Game Reserve hosted over 20,000 tourists from over 100 countries. This makes it the most popular tourist destination in Nigeria and, if properly managed, it could become a significant part of the development and promotion of tourism throughout Nigeria. It is one of the few remaining areas left in West Africa where wild animals are protected in their natural habitat. Geography { "type": "ExternalData", "service": "geoshape", "ids": "Q1473112", "properties": { "fill-opacity": 0.1,"stroke": "#006000" } } Yankari Game Reserve lies in the southern part of the Sudan Savannah. It is composed of savannah grassland with well-developed patches of woodland. It is also a region of rolling hills, mostly between 200m and 400m. Kariyo Hill is the highest point at 640m. Annual rainfall in the park is between 900mm and 1,000mm. The rainy season is from May to September. Temperatures range between 18C and 35C. During the dry season, the harmattan wind blows from the Sahara, often bringing dusty skies and night temperatures falling as low as 12C. The hottest period falls in March and April when temperatures can rise above 40C in the day. In the dry season, larger wildlife in the park depend on the Gaji river and its tributaries for survival. This river is the only watershed and cuts the park in two. Marshall estimated the area of the Gaji River Valley used by elephants in the dry season at about . This increases the chances of seeing elephants at this time of year. The park's main entrance is at Mainamaji village, about 29 km from Dindima. It is located within the Duguri, Pali and Gwana districts of Alkaleri LGA, Bauchi State. This LGA has a population of 208,202 people occupying a total land area of . Geology