Nyika-Plateau

The Nyika Plateau is a highland in the north- west of Malawi on the border with Zambia. It separates two trenches of the Rift Valley system, the Luangwa Valley in the west and Lake Malawi to the east. Depending on the definition of the borders to the Nyika 1800-3300 km ², of which 70 km ² on Zambian territory. Approximately half of the area is located at an average altitude between 2100 meters and 2500 meters sea level and is therefore in the Afromontane zone.

Geography

The Nyika is hardly developed and for many millennia largely uninhabited. An agricultural or forestry use takes place in the forest plantation of Chelinda only at the boundary regions of the plateau, to the humid eastern slopes and to a limited extent. In spite of forest use in Chelinda in the heart of the plateau Nyika Plateau was the up to the middle of the 20th century as a white spot on the map of Malawi. Only in 1949, large parts were explored and mapped by an expedition under the leadership of Laurens van der Post on behalf of the British government.

While in the deeper areas Miombowälder prevail, there is a central area of ​​the Plateus from a rolling grassland with damp valleys and waterlogged depressions, called dambos, are interspersed with smaller areas with submontanem afromontanem or evergreen forest. Characteristic of this landscape are on the one hand the bushfires regularly occurring and the heavy rainfall and the resulting frequent landslides on the hill flanks. During the fire in the drier areas prevents the encroachment, the wet dambos and the more profound Rutschungsbereiche provide sufficient protection from the bush and grass fires and thus favors in small-scale areas, the growth of higher education and the trees of evergreen mountain forests. Occasionally, the mosaic of grasslands and forests of larger granite mountains or quartzite blocks is interrupted. However Steeper crashes occur only at the ice edges in the north and east. The highest elevations of the plateau are the Nganda Hill with 2607 m in the north of the plateau and the Kasaramba with 2460 m in the southeast.

1966, the core of the Nyika was established as " Malawi National Park" and expanded to include the outlying areas in the 1970s. Today, the Nyika National Park covers with its 3143 km ² next to the central plateau and the escarpment and the hills in the north- east and south, and thus represents the largest national park in Malawi dar.

Climate

Due to its height, the Nyika Plateau in comparison to the rest of the country at very cool temperatures. The average daily minimum varies with Chelinda between 11 degrees and 16 degrees in June in December, but come winter time often frosts with temperatures well below zero. Daytime temperatures are relatively stable and above the between 17 and 20 degrees. Chance temperatures rise in summer to 26 degrees.

With its year-round and overall very high rainfall represents the Nyika one of the main precipitation areas of Malawi dar. Often the entire senior Nyika Plateau lies under a reaching to the ground fog and cloud cover. The annual rainfall is between 1000 and 2000 mm with a focus on the eastern and western edge of the plateau and a slightly lesser precipitation ( annual average 1500 mm) in the center. Locally, but also measured significantly lower precipitation in the shade of large elevations and in the north of the plateau (<1000 mm).

Hydrology

The numerous deposits accumulate in the dambos that make up four notable flows develop, the northern Rukuru, the northern Rumphi, the Chelinda - Rumphi and Runyina, all of which drain to the east into Lake Malawi, forming some spectacular waterfalls. These rivers form the essential basis for the water supply of northern Malawi.

The only natural standing waters of the plateau is the Kaulime Lake near Chelinda, which was probably dammed by a landslide. In addition, today there are two small artificial lakes that were created for the forestry plantation at Chelinda. Due to the high rainfall and the prevailing vegetation found in the area of the plateau, mainly for the tropical highlands of typical acidic huminstoffreichen Latosole with a pH of 5.5. Due to the continuous high water level in the dambos and low temperatures during degradation of organic matter is slow. The soils are nutrient-poor, acidic and it is peat instead.

Flora and Fauna

Although the vast grasslands suggest the isolated eingestreueten grove at first sight an anthropogenic influence, show flore historical studies indicate that the currently prevailing landscape prevails since the last ice age about 12,000 years ago.

There are four dominant plant communities can be distinguished. With about 60 % of the total area of the park, the Miombo dry forest is the largest plant community, however, is limited to low and intermediate altitudes. The dominant genus is Brachystegia here. The loose trees at lower altitudes reached a height of 10 and 20 m, in the mid to higher elevations occurs dwarfism and the plant height reached only 3 m.

The so- typical actually for the Nyika African montane grassland comprises only 30% of the total area, but prevails in the central plateau region. It basically consists of up to 90 short statured grasses interspersed with herbaceous species and flowering plants, as well as scattered bushes.

The smallest proportion of the total have 3 % evergreen submontane and montane forests. Particularly noteworthy are scattered over the dambos, Rutschungsgebiete and fire- protected areas of the montane forest areas of the plateau, as well as an in southeast befindlicher of Chelinda larger Juniperus procera stock whose distribution is in contrast to the other woods but promoted by fire.

With its richness of flora and varied landscape provides the Nyika Plateau in relation to the biodiversity of the flora one of the great centers of diversity of Africa dar. In the latest recording of SANBI in 2005, almost 1900 species have been determined in 680 genera and 160 families. The northern, eastern and western reaches of the plateau were not considered, so the actual number of species is likely to be significantly higher. With only 33 endemic species, mostly perennial plants and geophytes, however, the Nyika plateau at a relatively low endemism rate.

On animals, the Nyika National Park offers a variety of antelope species ( sable antelope, roan antelope, eland, bushbuck, duiker and red hartebeest ), zebras, warthogs and a variety of birds. At predators hyenas, a large number of leopards as well as some smaller wild cats species occur. Furthermore, in the edge regions, there is a small population of African wild dogs. Lions or big game such as elephant, rhino and buffalo are missing or are found only in the neighborhood of Frankfurt deep marginal areas (eg Vwaza Marsh Game Reserve ).

Tourism

Although the Nyika Plateau, malaria and tsetse - free due to its high elevation and cool temperatures, it is touristy largely untapped. This is partly due to the remoteness of the area, which is too far away from the centers of Lilongwe and Blantyre to serve as a recreational area, but on the other hand also to the lack of infrastructure. Apart from a privately run luxury lodge of Nyika Safaris, a primitive campground at Chelinda and a hut on the Zambian side, the park has no tourist facilities. There are no benefit options. The simple and sparse road network is in a dry state, it is also accessible for ordinary vehicles, due to the frequent rains, however, is recommended especially during the rainy season, a four-wheel drive. A map of Zambia is not possible. Air Malawi has a more or less regular flight service to Chelinda ( 12 seater Cessna ). By Nyika Safaris riding and hiking tours are offered in the park, but also mountain bike tours are possible.

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