Rubondo essentially consists of a partially submerged rift of four volcanically formed hills, linked by three flatter isthmuses.

[3] The habitat is mixed evergreen and semideciduous forest, which covers about 80% of the island’s surface area with common species including Croton sylvaticus, Drypetes gerrardii, and Lecaniodiscus fraxinifolius, and often with a dense understory of lianas, or woody vines.

[2] The eastern lakeshore is characterised by rocky areas and sandy beaches whilst the western shore supports extensive papyrus swamps, lined with date palms.

[6] Over a four-year period (1966–1969) Professor Bernhard Grzimek of the Frankfurt Zoological Society (FZS) released 17 chimpanzees in four cohorts onto Rubondo Island.

[7] The first cohort of chimpanzees arrived in Dar es Salaam aboard the German African Line’s steamship Eibe Oldendorff on 17 June 1966 (Standard Newspaper Tanzania, 1966).

The chimpanzees were all wild-born and purportedly of West African descent,[6] although there are no records of specific country of origin for the majority of released individuals.

[4] In addition to chimpanzees, seven other species were introduced to the island: Roan antelope (Hippotragus equinus) and rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis) both now extinct, Suni antelope (Neotragus moschatus), elephants (Loxodonta africana), giraffes (Giraffa camelopardalis), black-and-white colobus monkeys (Colobus guereza), and grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) confiscated from illegal trade.

[6][7] In October 2021, Prime Minister, Kassim Majaliwa visited the park and ordered TANAPA to cooperate with tourism stakeholders, for the marketing of the Rubondo Island to maximise the numbers of tourist in Geita region.