The region experiences African Savannah Climate with temperatures range of 20oC-36oC and about 750mm of rainfall per annum. IMPORTANT ASPECT OF THE PARK
It is home to some of the most recent volcanic activities.
It has two important bird areas: Lake Jipe and Rhino/ Ngulia Valley.
It has mineral deposits that are largely mined on the Eastern side of the park.
Was a war site for World War I and World War II.
Black Rhino sanctuary
SCENES Apart from wildlife there are several other tourist attraction sites in the park. These include:
·Mzima Springs-main source of water generating 250 million liters of water/day.
·Shetani Lava-flat lava.
·Chimo-crater
·Rhino sanctuary-79 endangered black rhino found there.
·Roaring Rocks.
·Five sisters
Wildlife habitat A habitat is the specific area in an ecosystem occupied by a given species. In the park there are two types of habitats; terrestrial and aquatic. Terrestrial habitat supports 60 species of mammals, 400 species of birds, over 1000 species of plants. It provides sub-sections in a terrestrial ecosystem: grassland ecosystem covering most of the park and forest ecosystem mostly situated around water bodies in the park e.g. Mazima springs.
Within the spring is the aquatic habitat where several plant and animal species are found, for example crocodiles, hippos, fish and free floating, attached floating and submerged plants. The park enjoys a wide range of species diversity, ecosystem diversity and taxonomic diversity.
Species diversity
Butterflies: Butlex butterfly, Banded Gold Tip butterfly, West Wood Club Tailed butterfly, Hewiton broad bearded, Druxy joker.
Insects: Moth, praying mantis, beetle, sand wasp, bloody nosed beetle, cockroach e.t.c.
Fish: Athi Elephant (Mormyrus hildebrandti), East Coast Squaker (Synodontis zamibaricus), Subaki tilapia (Schilbe intermedius).
Reptiles: lizards, chameleons, Leopard Tortoise (Teatudo pardalis), writhing skin mabuya species, Speckled sand snake (Psammophis punctulatus), Green bush snake (Philothamus sp.), Puff adder (Bitis arietanus).
Rodents: Multimammate rat (Mastomys hilderbrandtii), zebra rat (Lemniscomys striatus), naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber), Nile grass rat (Arvicanthis niloticus).
Mammals: Unstripped ground squirrel (Xerus rutilus), Yellow spotted rock hyrax (Heterohyrax brucel), elephants, giraffe, wildebeest, lions, monkeys, Defesser water buck e.t.c Elephants (Loxodonta africana) knock down many trees in search of food while others just do it for destructive purposes. Huge dung piles along the path give hint of movement of elephants.
Birds: Nubian wood pecker, yellow spotted petronia, white crowned shrike, Eurasian roller, stripped kingfisher, ring necked dove, little bee eater, guinea fowl.
Trees: Acacia species, neem, cassia, bougainvillea, Nandi flame, salvadora pursica, Acacia tortilis, Syzgium guinense locally known as water pear, Kigelia africana- sausage tree, and Trichilia emetica.
Kilaguni Serena Lodge
It’s located at a longitude of 37o49’ East, altitude 2750 feet above sea and latitude of 2o4’ South. The place is much cooler with modified climate because of the planted vegetation. The dominant vegetation in the lodge include: Neem, cassia, Nandi flame, bougainvillea, Acacia tortilis all which are planted. Fruit trees are also available in the area. From the lodge one can get a clear vicinity of the water point where animals like zebras, baboons come to drink. Game meat is also obtained from the park.
Mazima Springs
It’s an ecologically important area in the park. The spring is perennial meaning it provides water all year round. It generates about 250million liters of water per day which serves the entire park population. The spring is characterized by various vegetation, Acacia xanthophloea being the dominant specie. The bark of this tree has been consumed by wild animals resulting to their stems being evaded by aphids and other insects. Other tree species in the spring region include Acacia tortilis, Salvadora pursica which is locally known as tooth brush tree, Syzgium guinense locally known as water pear, Kigelia africana- sausage tree, and Trichilia emetica.
Animals such as crocodiles, hippos, fish, have their own territories within the spring. A species gazelles, antelopes and other herbivores feed at animal stays in its own territory. In case of invasion by specie to a territory that doesn’t belong to it, chaos may arise. Stress and how wildlife responds to it There are many dry deciduous acacia species in the park that drop foliage to reduce rate of evapotranspiration. The park is characterized with many xerophytes: shrubs, trees and herbs majority of which are drought resistant with thick cuticles to reduce rate of evapotranspiration e.g. euphorbia species. These plants have deep roots to reach water that is stored deep in the earth’s surface. Some plants are thelophytes, drought evaders that grow vegetatively, flower and produce seeds within a short rainy season.
Animals in the park have also developed mechanisms of surviving in the hot climate. Some animals practice aestivation- sleeping during hottest part of the day and come out to hunt at night or before sunrise. Hyenas and animals belonging to dog family dissipate heat to cool their bodies. Dik dik, gazelles and antelopes avoid heat by sitting under a shade when the sun is up and temperatures high. Giraffe, zebras, elephants, gazelles and other herbivores have grazing succession that ensures the area is not overgrazed and that each animal species has enough to eat.