94:. 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.
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Kakamega
Rainforest, hidden deep within the dark blue, Af (Tropical, rainforest) splotch in the western portion of this Köppen-Geiger climate classification map map, The rainforest lies in Southeastern Kakamega county, Western Nandi county, and Northern Vihiga county, although the entire region has a
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The forest including reserves encloses about 238 square kilometers, a little less than half of which currently remains as indigenous forest. In the north of the forest is the 4,468 hectares (45 km; 17 sq mi) Kakamega
National Reserve, given national forest reserve status in 1985. Just
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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
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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
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for Kenya for 1980–2016 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
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Kakamega Forest
Reserve was designated in 1933. It currently has an area of 178.38 km. In 1967 the Isecheno and Yala or Lirhanda nature reserves were established within the forest reserve. Kakamega National Reserve was designated in 1985, composed of the northern portion of the Kakamega Forest
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13. Wagner, P., Köhler, J., Schmitz, A., & Böhme, W. (August 01, 2008). The biogeographical assignment of a west Kenyan rain forest remnant: further evidence from analysis of its reptile fauna.
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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.
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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.
175:. 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
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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
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The forest lies on undulating terrain, mostly between 1500 and 1600 meters elevation. It is in the watershed of the
Isiukhu and
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The forest is famous for its birds. 367 bird species have been recorded in the forest such as the west
African
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driest months. Temperature is fairly constant throughout the year, ranging between 20°C - 30°C.
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Forest tours have attracted prominent personalities including outgoing US Ambassador to Kenya
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138:. The forest's flora and fauna include many species associated with the moist forests of the
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Flora found in the park include some of Africa's greatest hard and soft woods: Elgon teak
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Reserve and the Kisere Forest
Reserve to the north. It has an area of 44.7 km.
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434:"The Kakamega Forest". Unesco World Heritage Centre. Accessed 15 March 2020.
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have been occasionally reported, but the last official sighting was in 1991.
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The Southern part of Kakamega forest, Isecheno Forest station run by the
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The flora and fauna of Kakamega Forest has not been extensively studied.
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tropical rainforest climate, despite not being part of the national park.
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from the World Database on Protected Areas. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
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from the World Database on Protected Areas. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
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to the east and flow westwards through the forest before emptying into
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615:"Kakamega forest nature walks accommodation camping and guided walks"
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Insects are abundant and some are quite spectacular, such as
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who paid a visit in April 2018 and marveled at its beauty.
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Amphibians and reptiles are also found in Kakamega Forest.
142:, which lie further west in the basin of the Congo River.
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Kenya Wildlife Service – Kakamega Forest National Reserve
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https://twitter.com/BobGodec/status/989511923912859658
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and is said to be Kenya's last remnant of the ancient
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Blue monkey climbing in tree at Kakamega Rain Forest.
601:"Kakamega forest that is home to variety of species"
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Protected Area Profile for Kakamega National Reserve
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World Database on Protected Areas – Kakamega Forest
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World Database on Protected Areas – Kakamega Forest
548:Protected Area Profile for Kakamega Forest Reserve
16:Rainforest in Kakamega & Nandi Counties, Kenya
368:, and by adding encyclopedic text written from a
483:Terrestrial Ecoregions of Africa and Madagascar.
190:. At least 9 birds are not found anywhere else.
561:Important Bird Area factsheet: Kakamega forest
535:"Kakamega forest may be wiped out in 20 years"
436:https://whc.unesco.org/en/tentativelists/5508/
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66:rainforest that once spanned the continent.
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179:with 9 species found only in this forest.
388:Learn how and when to remove this message
233:and a variety of primates including the
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193:Mammals that occur in the park include
587:"Kakamega Forest is Faced with Demise"
537:The Standard newspaper, April 8th 2010
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1085:Victoria Basin forest–savanna mosaic
496:"Flora and fauna in Kakamega Forest"
133:Victoria Basin forest-savanna mosaic
1065:Protected areas established in 1985
1031:Tana River Primate National Reserve
349:contains text that is written in a
675:Checklist of Kakamega bird species
509:"List of birds in Kakamega Forest"
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112:Köppen climate classification map
670:Earlham College's Kakamega pages
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188:black-and-white-casqued hornbill
559:BirdLife International (2023).
485:Island Press, 2004. pp. 291-292
78:rivers, which originate on the
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563:. Retrieved 28 November 2023.
1090:1985 establishments in Kenya
680:Kakamega guiding association
459:"Kakamega National Reserve"
50:, and near the border with
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23:View over Kakamega forest.
522:"Treasures of the Forest"
215:giant African water shrew
1070:Protected areas of Kenya
1060:Western Province (Kenya)
1026:Former national reserves
511:, University of Kentucky
498:, University of Kentucky
1055:National parks of Kenya
748:National Parks of Kenya
165:, several varieties of
140:Guineo-Congolian region
131:The forest lies in the
619:www.kakamegaforest.com
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207:African clawless otter
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972:Marine national parks
370:neutral point of view
322:is considerable. The
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92:Kisere Forest Reserve
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703:0.29167°N 34.85611°E
402:Kenya Forest Service
362:promotional language
90:to the north is the
1095:Afromontane forests
699: /
603:. 25 December 2020.
253:and the occasional
172:Aningeria altissima
32:tropical rainforest
943:Ngare Ndare Forest
572:UNEP-WCMC (2023).
546:UNEP-WCMC (2023).
464:2013-07-07 at the
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708:0.29167; 34.85611
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974:and reserves
958:Shimba Hills
923:Lake Bogoria
912:
908:Kerio Valley
857:South Island
782:Chyulu Hills
684:
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627:. Retrieved
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417:Robert Godec
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360:by removing
356:Please help
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306:Conservation
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281:Orthopterans
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119:Biodiversity
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1010:Sanctuaries
963:Witu Forest
928:Maasai Mara
847:Saiwa Swamp
822:Mount Kenya
817:Mount Elgon
797:Lake Nakuru
787:Hell's Gate
706: /
468:KWS Website
235:blue monkey
1044:Categories
933:Mwaluganje
867:Tsavo West
862:Tsavo East
802:Malka Mari
694:34°51′22″E
629:2020-05-28
423:References
358:improve it
293:millipedes
289:Gastropods
60:rainforest
691:0°17′30″N
378:June 2024
227:porcupine
219:squirrels
136:ecoregion
70:Geography
888:Bisanadi
876:Reserves
807:Marsabit
767:Amboseli
762:Aberdare
481:(2004).
462:Archived
259:Leopards
211:mongoose
203:bushbuck
195:bush pig
54:. It is
36:Kakamega
996:Mombasa
991:Malindi
948:Samburu
883:Arawale
852:Sibiloi
832:Nairobi
408:trees.
330:Tourism
297:spiders
285:beetles
199:duikers
177:orchids
98:Climate
48:Nairobi
1001:Watamu
986:Kiunga
903:Dodori
479:et al.
324:German
283:, and
247:baboon
169:, and
167:croton
52:Uganda
953:Shaba
251:potto
56:Kenya
44:Kenya
30:is a
938:Mwea
893:Boni
842:Ruma
812:Meru
792:Kora
457:KWS
295:and
231:bats
186:and
76:Yala
38:and
42:of
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.