Kakamega Forest - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.

org/wiki/Kakamega_Forest

Coordinates: 0°17′30″N 34°51′22″E

Kakamega Forest
Kakamega Forest is a tropical rainforest situated in the Kakamega and
Kisumu Counties of Kenya, northwest of the capital Nairobi, and near to
the border with Uganda. It is Kenya's only tropical rainforest and is said to
be Kenya's last remnant of the ancient Guineo-Congolian rainforest that
once spanned the continent.

Contents View over Kakamega forest.

Geography
Climate
Biodiversity
Environmental issues
Tourism
References
External links

Geography
The forest including reserves encloses about 238 square kilometers, a little less than half of which currently remains as
indigenous forest. The forest is elevated at predominantly between 1500 m and 1600 m above sea level. In the north of
the forest is the 4,468 hectares (45 km2; 17 sq mi) Kakamega National Reserve, given national forest reserve status in
1985.[1] Just to the north is the Kisere Forest Reserve. Throughout the forest are a series of grassy glades, ranging in
size from about 1 to 50, with a few larger clearings. The origins of the glades are uncertain. Some are certainly recent
clearings, but others predate recent records. These may have originated from past human activity such as cattle grazing
or may be the result of herbivory and movements by large mammals such as buffalo and elephants (both now
extirpated from the region). The glades vary a great deal in structure, some being open grass and others having a
considerable number of trees or shrubs. A number of streams and small creeks run through the reserve. The larger
creeks are usually bordered by a few to tens of meters of forest on either side which divide the glades, while the
smallest creeks flow through open grasslands, often forming small marshy patches.

Climate
The Kakamega Forest is very wet, with an average of 1200 mm – 1700 mm of rain per year. Rainfall is heaviest in April
and May ("long rains"), with a slightly drier June and a second peak roughly in August to September ("short rains").
January and February are the driest months. Temperature is fairly constant throughout the year, ranging between 20c
- 30c.[2]

Biodiversity

1 of 3 11/9/2018, 11:59 PM
Kakamega Forest - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakamega_Forest

Flora found in the park include some of Africa's greatest hard and soft
woods: Elgon teak, red and white stinkwood and several varieties of croton
and aniageria altisima. There are 380 recorded species of plants. This
includes 60 species of ferns, 150 species of trees and shrubs, and 170
species of flowering plants including 60 species of orchids with 9 species
found only in this forest.

The forest is famous for its birds, 367[3][4] bird species have been recorded
in the forest such as the west African Great blue turaco and black-and-
white-casqued hornbill. At least 9 birds are not found anywhere else.[5] Blue monkey climbing in tree at
Kakamega Rain Forest.
Mammals that occur in the park include bush pig, duikers, bushbuck,
African clawless otter, mongoose, giant African water shrew, squirrels, tree
pangolin, porcupine, bats and a variety of primates including the blue monkey, redtail monkey, De Brazza's monkey,
baboon, potto and the occasional vervet monkey. Leopards have been occasionally reported, but the last official
sighting was in 1991 .[6]

Insects are abundant and some are quite spectacular, such as Goliath beetles, pink and green flower mantis, and
numerous colorful butterflies (489 species). Particularly well represented groups are ants (Formicidae), Lepidopterans,
Orthopterans, and beetles. Gastropods, millipedes and spiders are also common.

The flora and fauna of Kakamega Forest has not been extensively studied.

Environmental issues
Many local inhabitants rely on the forest to supply important resources, such as firewood, building poles and
traditional medicines. Cattle grazing occurs in some of the glades. The region is said to be one of the most densely
populated rural areas in the world, and pressure on the forest resources is considerable. The German funded project
BIOTA East worked in the forest from 2001 until 2010, creating forest inventories for many life forms and aiming to
find strategies for a sustainable use of the forest.

Tourism
The Southern part of Kakamega forest, Isecheno Forest station run by the Kenya Forest Service is the most accessible
in Tourism. There is the well known Mama Mtere tree, a historic tree and the most photographed tree in Kakamega
forest, there are also strangler fig trees[7][8].

There are hiking trails in the forest that allow for forest walking, camping, hiking, primate watching, bird and butterfly
watching, game watching and village walks. The Kakamega Rainforest Tour Guides (KRFTG) can arrange tours to visit
the weeping stone (Crying stone) at Ilesi, located along the Kakamega-Kisumu road, or Kisere Forest to see the De-
brazes monkey in the north of Kakamega. Also bird watching, morning 6:30 am – 8:30 am is fantastic walk or evening
4:30 pm – 6:30 pm.

Forest tours have attracted prominent personalities including outgoing US Ambassador to Kenya Bob Godec who paid
a visit in April 2018 and marveled at its beauty[9].

References

2 of 3 11/9/2018, 11:59 PM
Kakamega Forest - Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kakamega_Forest

1. World Database on Protected Areas – Kakamega Forest (https://protectedplanet.net/7420)

2. KWS "Kakamega National Reserve" (http://www.kws.org/parks/parks_reserves/KNFR.html) Archived
(https://web.archive.org/web/20130707000552/http://www.kws.org/parks/parks_reserves/KNFR.html) 2013-07-07
at the Wayback Machine. KWS Website
3. Udo M. Savalli, "Flora and fauna in Kakamega Forest" (http://www.uky.edu/~cfox/Students/Savalli/kakameg.html),
University of Kentucky
4. Udo M. Savalli, "List of birds in Kakamega Forest" (http://www.uky.edu/~cfox/Students/Savalli/KakaBirdList.html),
University of Kentucky
5. Wildize.org "Treasures of the Forest" (https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&
q=cache:z7yfkTAqHlwJ:www.wildize.org/uploads/reports/Summary%2520of%2520Kakamega%2520Forest.pps+&
hl=en&pid=bl&srcid=ADGEESgNYu3kRUrZpE9-XSFbB1kpYv0BO5LlR8cAzJl-
pSLMV5S42OrR71deJaKDfzEK0k1aXDefh17-LXgPzFucIPqrwOWaC-
sxQXPgI8sv7BUT3dfaPYjSyEmNyhtwz7PrznN75nbP&sig=AHIEtbTcuaW1K1Mbw0HO5yQjih6pgot2KA)
Powerpoint Slide
6. Harold Ayodo, "Kakamega forest may be wiped out in 20 years" (http://www.standardmedia.co.ke
/?articleID=2000007242&pageNo=2&story_title=) The Standard newspaper, April 8th 2010
7. https://www.worldpulse.com/en/community/users/mukoche-khatondi/posts/65309
8. https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/magazines/Kakamega-forest-that-is-home-to-variety-of-species
/1248928-1854524-xaavi/index.html
9. Yhttps://twitter.com/BobGodec/status/989511923912859658

External links
Kenya Wildlife Service – Kakamega Forest National Reserve (https://web.archive.org/web/20130707000552/http:
//www.kws.org/parks/parks_reserves/KNFR.html)
World Database on Protected Areas – Kakamega Forest (https://protectedplanet.net/7420)
Earlham College's Kakamega pages (http://www.earlham.edu/biology/content/Kakamega/)
Checklist of Kakamega bird species (http://www.uky.edu/~cfox/Students/Savalli/KakaBirdList.html)
Kakamega guiding association (http://kakamegaforest.com/)

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Kakamega_Forest&oldid=857711417"

This page was last edited on 2 September 2018, at 14:34 (UTC).

Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License; additional terms may apply. By using
this site, you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Wikipedia® is a registered trademark of the Wikimedia
Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization.

3 of 3 11/9/2018, 11:59 PM