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Kilimanjaro National Park
At 5,963 m, Kilimanjaro is the highest point in Africa. This volcanic massif stands in splendid isolation above the surrounding plains, with its snowy peak looming over the savannah. The mountain is encircled by mountain forest. Numerous mammals, many of them endangered species, live in the park.
VEGETATION The major vegetation types represented on Mount Kilimanjaro could loosely be termed montane forest, moorland, upland moor, alpine bogs, and alpine desert (Greenway, 1965), although not all of the montane forest zone is currently within the national park. There is no bamboo zone, nor a Hagenia-Hypericum zone. Above about 4,600m, very few plants are able to survive the severe conditions, although specimens of Helichrysum newii have been recorded as high as 5,760m (close to a fumarole), and mosses and lichens are found right up to the summit. The upland moor consists primarily of heath/scrub plants, with Erica arborea, Philippia trimera, Adenocarpus mannii, Protea kilimandscharica, Stoebe kilimandscharica, Myrica meyeri-johannis, and Myrsine africana. Grasses are abundant in places, and Cyperaceae form the dominant ground cover in wet hollows. On flatter areas between the upland moor and the forest edge are areas of moorland or upland grassland composed of Agrostis producta, Festuca convoluta, Koeleria gracilis (K), Deschampsia sp., Exotheca abyssinica, Andropogon amethystinus, and A. kilimandscharicus, with scattered bushes of Adenocarpus mannii, Kotschya recurvifolia and Myrica meyeri-johannis. Various species of the genus Helichrysum are found in the grasslands and in the upland moor. Two distinct forms of giant groundsel occur on upper Mount Kilimanjaro, Senecio johnstonii cottonii, which is endemic to the mountain and only occurs above 3600m, and S. johnstonii johnstonii which occurs between 2,450m and 4,000m, and shows two distinct forms (once described as two separate species). At all altitudes Senecio favours the damper and more sheltered locations, and in the alpine bogs is associated with another conspicuous plant, the endemic giant lobelia Lobelia deckenii. Below the tree line, the park includes six corridors through the montane forest belt which circles the mountain between 1,520m and 2,740m. Forest components are complex and vary greatly with aspect. The wetter southern slopes are dominated by Podocarpus spp. and camphorwood Ocotea usambarensis with Myrica salicifolia and Agauria sp., and an understorey of ferns such as tree ferns Cyathea spp. and thelong-spiked Lobelia gibberoa. The drier northern slopes are dominated by cedar Juniperus procera and olives Olea spp..
FAUNA A number of mammal species have been recorded above the treeline (Child, 1965), although it is likely that many of these also use the lower montane forest habitat. Apart from rodents, especially at times of population explosion, the most frequently encountered mammals above the treeline are grey duiker Sylvicapra grimmia and eland Taurotragus oryx, which occur in the moorland, with bushbuck Tragelaphus scriptus and red duiker Cephalophus natalensis being found above the treeline in places, and buffalo Syncerus caffer occasionally moves ut of the forest into the moorland and grassland. An estimated 220 elephants Loxodonta africana (V) are distributed between the Namwai and the Tarakia Rivers (Tanzania National Parks, 1993). Several species of rodent and insectivore occur above the tree line, although golden moles (Chrysochloridae) are absent. Bird species of the upper zones are also few in number, although they include occasional lammergeier Gypaetus barbatus (mainly on the Shira ridge), hill chat Cercomela sordida, Hunter's cisticola Cisticola hunteri, and scarlet-tufted malachite sunbird Nectarinia johnstoni. Raven Corvus albicollis is the most conspicuous bird species at higher altitude. Three species of primate are found within the montane forests, blue monkey Cercopithecus mitis, western black and white colobus Colobus polykomos abyssinicus, and bushbaby Galago sp.. Other species of mammal include leopard Panthera pardus, black rhinoceros Diceros bicornis (E) (probably now extinct in this area), mountain reedbuck Redunca fulvorufula and Kilimanjaro tree hyrax Dendrohyrax validus, as well as those species listed above. Abbot's duiker Cephalophus spadix is restricted to Kilimanjaro and some neighbouring mountains. The forest has several notable bird species including Abbot's starling Cinnyricinclus femoralis, which has a very restricted distribution. The butterfly Papilio sjoestedti (R), sometimes known as the Kilimanjaro swallowtail, is restricted to Kilimanjaro, Ngorongoro and Mount Meru, although the subspecies atavus is only found on Kilimanjaro.
PHYSICAL FEATURES Kilimanjaro is a volcanic massif (last showing signs of major activity in the Pleistocene) which is not only the highest mountain in Africa, rising 4,877m above the surrounding plains to 5,895m, but also one of the largest volcanoes in the world, covering an area of some 388,500ha. There are three main volcanic peaks of varying ages lying on an east-south-east axis, and a number of smaller parasitic cones. To the west, the oldest peak (Shira) rises to 3,962m, though only the western and southern rims remain. The remains of the northern and eastern flanks are covered by later material from Kibo, which has led to the formation of a relatively flat upland plateau covering some 6,200ha between the two peaks. The rugged erosion-shattered peak of Mawenzi lies to the east (rising to 5,149m). Its western face is fairly steep at the top with many crags and pinnacles. However the topography on its eastern side is precipitous for over 1000m with a complex of gullies and rock faces, and rising above two deep gorges, the Great Barranco and the Lesser Barranco. Kibo, which is the most recent in origin and still shows signs of minor fumarole activity in the centre, consists of twoconcentric craters with an ash pit in the middle. The highest point on the mountain is on the southern rim of the outer crater, the opposite sides of which are some 2km apart. Between Kibo and Mawenzi there is a plateau of some 3600ha, known as the Saddle, which forms the largest area of high altitude tundra in tropical Africa. The predominant rock types on both Shira and Mawenzi are trachybasalts, while the later lava flows on Kibo show a gradual change from trachyandesite to nephelinite. Structure of the material varied with time and different flows have produced a variety of different rock types. There are also a number of intrusions, such as the radial dyke-swarms of Mawenzi or the Shira Ridge. Parasitic cones, chiefly formed from ash and cinder, occur in groups or zones. Kibo still retains permanent ice and snow (although the area covered has been diminishing for some years), and one glacier extends down to 4,500m. Mawenzi also has patches of semi-permanent ice, and substantial accumulations of seasonal snow and ice. Evidence of past glaciation is present on all three peaks, with morainic debris found as low as 3,600m.
CLIMATE There are two wet seasons, November to December and March to May, and the driest months are August to October. Rainfall decreases rapidly with increase in altitude; mean precipitation is 2300mm in the forest belt (1,830m), 1300mm at Mandara hut on the upper edge of the forest (2,740m), 525mm at Horombo hut in the moorland (3,718m), and less than 200mm at Kibo hut (4,630m), producing desert-like conditions. Winds are predominantly from the southeast, and the north slopes receive far less rainfall. Diurnal temperature range is considerable at higher altitudes. Mist frequently envelopes much of the massif.
VISITORS AND VISITOR FACILITIES The national park has been developed with tourism in mind, and approximately 10,800 people visit the park each year. All visitors climbing the mountain must have a guide. Although there are a number of options for climbing Mt. Kilimanjaro, 91% of all hikers use the Marangu Trail. Accommodation for climbers on this trail comprises three hut complexes: Mandara; Horombo and Kibo. Food, bedding and porters are provided. There is a mountain rescue team at the park headquarters and at each of the huts (National Park Service, pers. comm., 1995).
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posted to World Heritage Sites. at Thu Nov 13 15:25:07 EST 2003.
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(Posted by guest: Devin)