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Mt
Kenya National park and reserve where,Mount . Kenya imposes
an extinct volcano dominating the landscape of the Kenyan
Highlands
MOUNT KENYA NATIONAL
PARK & RESERVE
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Mt. Kenya is an imposing extinct volcano dominating
the landscape of the Kenyan Highlands, East of the Rift.
Mt. Kenya lies about 140 km North,North-East of Nairobi
with its Northern flanks across the Equator. The
mountain has two main peaks - Batian (5200m) and Nelion
(5188m). The mountains slopes are cloaked in forest,
bamboo, scrub and moorland giving way on the high central
peaks to rock, ice and snow. Mt. Kenya is an
important water catchment area, supplying the Tana and
Northern Ewaso Ngiro systems. The park includes a variety
of habitats ranging from higher forest, bamboo,alpine
moorlands, glaciers, tarns and glacial morains.
The park, which was inscribed by UNESCO as a World Heritage
Site in 1997ans is also a Biosphere Reserve, covers
715 km2, and includes the Peaks consisting of all the
ground above 3200m with two small salients
extending lower down to 2450m along the Sirimon and
Naro Moru tracks. Surrounding the park is Mount Kenya
National Reserve with an area of approximately 2095
km2.
Climate:
Climate, flora and fauna on Mt. Kenya varies with altitude.
HOW TO GET THERE
Access Roads:
175 kms from Nairobi, the park can be reached on Nanyuki-Isiolo
road via Sirimon Track or Nyeri-Nanyuki road near Naro
Moru. The park is also reachable via Chogoria on the
Embu - Meru road, about 150km north of
Nairobi.
Airstrips:
The closest commercial airstrip to the park is at Nanyuki.
MAJOR ATTRACTIONS
Pristine wilderness, lakes, tarns, glaciers and peaks
of great beauty,geological variety, forest, mineral
springs, rare and endangered species of animals, High
altitude adapted plains game, Unique montane and alpine
vegetation with 11 species of endemic plants.
FACILITIES
Huts:
Liki North Hut; Minto's Hut; Austrian Hut; Mackinders
Hut (managed by NaroMoru Lodge); Judmare Hut; Shiptons
Hut (managed by Mountain Rock Hotel).
Bandas:
Sirimon Bandas, Warden's Cottage.
Lodges:
Mountain Lodge (Serena Hotels); Rutundu Fishes Lodge
(book through Lets
GoTravel) ACTIVITIES
Mountain climbing, game viewing.
WILDLIFE
Reptiles:
Alpine Meadow Lizard; lizards and skinks; montane viper.
Major animals:
Baboon, Olive; Bat, Banana; Bongo; Buffalo African;
Bushbuck; Cat, AfricanWild; Civet, African; Colobus,
Black and White; Dog, Hunting; Dormouse,African; Duiker,
Black-fronted; Duiker, Bush; Duiker, Red; Elephant,
African; Genet, Large-spotted; Hare, African; Hog, Giant
Forest; Hyaena,Spotted; Hyrax, Rock; Hyrax, Tree; Jackal,
Black-backed; Jackal,Side-striped; Klipspringer; Leopard;
Lion; Mongoose, Slender; Monkey,
Sykes; Otter, Clawless; Pig, Forest Bush; Porcupine,
Crested; Rat, Crested;Rat, Mt Kenya Mole; Reedbuck,
Chanler's; Rhinoceros, Black; Serval; Shrew,Mole; Suni;
Zebra, Common.
Major Birds:
Owl, Mackinder's Eagle; Owl, Cape Grass; Owl, African
Wood; Owl, AfricanMarsh; Owl, Abyssinian Long-eared;
Oriole, Black-winged; Nightjar,Abyssinian; Martin, African
Sand; Martin, African Rock; Lanner;
Lammergeyer; Kite, European Black; Kite, African Black;
Kingfisher,Grey-headed; Kingfisher, Giant; Kestrel,
Lesser; Kestrel, European; Ibis,Green; Hornbill, Silvery-cheeked..
MT. KENYA NATIONAL PARK & RESERVE
COMMON
VEGETATION:
This varies with altitude and rainfall, and there is
a rich alpine and sub-alpine flora.Between 1200m
and 1850m, the vegetation is mainly dry upland forest
comprising of Croton associations. Juniperus procera
and Podocarpus
spp.are predominant in the drier parts of the lower
zone (below 2,500m), with rainfall between 875 and 1400mm
(Naro Moru and Sirimon tracks on the western slopes).
In wetter areas (over 2200mm/year) in the south-west
and north-east, Cassipourea malosana predominates.
Higher altitudes (2,500-3,000m with rainfall
over 2000mm/year) are dominated by a dense belt of bamboo
Arundinaria alpina on south-eastern slopes, and a mosaic
of bamboo and Podocarpus milanjianus with bamboo at
intermediate elevations (2,600-2,800m), and Podocarpus
at higher and lower elevations (2,800-3,000m) and (2,500-2,600m).Towards
the west and north of the mountain, bamboo becomes progressively
smaller and less dominant. There are also areas in zones
of maximum rainfall 2,000-3,500m with up to 2,400mm/year,
where Hagenia abyssinica with Hagenia revolutum predominate.
Above 3,000m, cold (low temperatures) become
a more important factor, treestature declines, and Podocarpus
is replaced by Hypericum spp. A more open canopy here
results in a more developed understorey. Many of the
trees are festooned with mosses. Grassy glades are common
especially on ridges.
Highaltitude heath between 3,000m and 3,500m
is characterised by shrubs withsmall leaves like African
sage, Protea and Helicrysum.
The lower alpine or moorland zone (3,400-3,800m)
is characterized by high rainfall, a thick humus
layer, low topographic diversity, and low speciesrichness.
Tussock grasses Festuca pilgeri, and sedges Carex spp.predominate.
Between the tussocks there are Alchemilla cyclophylla,Alchemilla
johnstonii, and Geranium vagans.
Above the 3500m contour is theAfro-alpine zone,
a moorland characterised by tussock grasses, senecios
and lobelias.
The upper alpinezone (3,800-4,500m) is more topographically
diverse, and contains a more varied flora. Many of the
species here are bizarre, especially the giant rosette
plants Lobelia telekii and Lobelia keniensis,Senecio
keniodendron and Carduus spp.. Senecio brassica is found
in both the lower and upper alpine zone.
There are a variety of grasses on well-drained ground
and along the streams and river banks such as megaphytic
Senecio battescombei and Helichrysum kilimanjari.
Continuous vegetation stops at about 4,500m although
isolated vascular plants have been found at over 5,000m.
There are 13 species endemic to Mount Kenya listed in
Hedberg,(1951).
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