Uluguru Mountains

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Uluguru Mountains in Morogoro

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Uluguru refers to a mountain range in the Morogoro region in Tanzania. The mountain range was named after one of the same people of the region. In Swahili means Uluguru "Land of Luguru ". Luguru are the "people of the high mountains " as distinct from the more northerly living Kaguru, the " people of the low mountains ". The mountain range is 50 km long and extends between the city Morogoro in the north Highest to Selous game Reserve in the south. summit is the Kimhandu with 2646 meters.

Climate and vegetation

The mountain range intercepts converging clouds, which leads to abundant precipitation. To fall on the eastern slopes of the Ulugurus up to 2000 mm of rainfall a year. The upper mountain regions are heavily forested, and act as a water reservoir. Leading to Bagamoyo Ruvu River begins its course here.

The tropical mountain forest of Ulugurus one of the oldest mountain forests of East Africa. About 30 animal species - including the Uluguru bush shrike and the Lorevidges sun bird - live exclusively in the Uluguru mountains. In addition, 200 endemic plant species.

Despite precautions, it always comes back to deforestation in the Ulugurus. The result is erosion as the slipping of the mountain slopes and flooding.

Projects

Since 1999, the Wildlife Conservation Society, (WCS ) works together with local people to find solutions to protect the remaining forest permanently and at the same time to secure the inhabitants of the mountains a permanent existence.