Aberdare-Nationalpark

IUCN Category II - National Park

Input of the Aberdare National Park

The Aberdare National Park (also Nyandarua National Park ) is located in the highlands of Central Province in Kenya 2000-3999 m above sea level, approximately 100 km north of Nairobi. His official name was given to the National Park after the discoverer of the region, Lord Aberdare, a former president of the Royal Geographical Society.

Location

The national park has an area of 766 km ². It is located in the immediate vicinity of Nyandaruaberge and consists of the Aberdare Range, a mountain range of volcanic origin, extending from north to south, and its eastern, forested foothills.

Landscape

Between the two largest surveys, Ol Donyo Lesatima (also Ol Doinyo La Satima; 3999 m) and Kinangop ( 3906 m), runs at an altitude of about 3000 m, a saddle of alpine moorland. In addition to the high-lying marshy areas bushland and mountain forest including bamboo come before. Gorges with streams and waterfalls cut through wooded slopes to the east and west. It is an important water catchment area for the Tana and Athi River.

In this national park you can go on safari, but this must be done. Also camps and lodges are available in the National Park. Special attractions of the park are the waterfalls Karuru, Gura, Chania and Magura.

Climate

The weather is characterized for the most part of the year of fog and rain. Are frequent heavy rainfall, with rainfall between 1000 mm per year in the north- western slopes and 3000 mm per year in the southeast, on.

Wildlife

The wildlife is not particularly rich in species. There are bongos, buffalo, bush and water bucks as well as bush and giant forest hogs. The black rhino has not been fully eradicated. With a little luck you can also get black panther ( black colored leopard ) to face.

Elephants

The elephants at the height of Nyandaruaberge are quite shy. They use the bamboo, heather and other dense bush stocks as cover. In the eastern part of the park Salient referred to the Treetops Lodge and The Ark around, the elephants are accustomed to humans. 1973 and 1976 are said to have lived 3,000 elephants in the Aberdare National Park, in 1987 there were 2000 animals. The poaching is under control. Deep trenches prevent the elephants from leaving the park, as they would be pursued in the outlying populated and agricultural areas.

History

The dark, damp forests of the area served 1947-1956 as a shelter for the Mau Mau guerrilla movement.