Aberdare Range

This article is about the mountains in Kenya. For the place in Wales, seeAberdare.

Aberdare Range
Skyline of Aberdare Range
Highest point
Peak	Mount Satima
Elevation	4,001 m (13,127 ft)
Coordinates	0°37′40″S36°42′30″E
Geography
Aberdare Range Location in Kenya
Country	Kenya

TheAberdare Range(formerly theSattima Range,Kikuyu:Nyandarua) is a 160 km (99 mi) longmountain rangeofupland,north ofKenya's capitalNairobiwith an average elevation of 3,500 metres (11,480 ft). It straddles the counties of Nyandarua, Nyeri, Muranga, Kiambu and Laikipia. The mountain range is located in west centralKenya,northeast ofNaivashaandGilgiland lies just south of theEquator.The mountain range is called Nyandarua among theAgikuyu peoplein whose territory this forest and mountain range is located. The nameNyandaruacomes from the Kikuyu wordrwandaruameaning a drying hide, due to the distinctive fold of its silhouette.

Topology

The Aberdare Range forms a section of the eastern rim of theGreat Rift Valleyrunning roughly north to south. On the west, the range falls off steeply into theKinangop Plateauand then into the Great Rift Valley. On the east, the range slopes more gently.Lake Naivashaand the distantMau Escarpmentcan be seen from peaks in the range.

The range has a maximum elevation of 3,999 metres (13,120 ft)above sea level and is heavily forested. The former name of the range survives inMount Satima( "the mountain of the young bull" ), the highest peak in the Aberdare Range. The second-highest peak, at the southern end of the range, isMount Kinangopat 3,906 metres (12,815 ft). Mount Kenyaat 5,199 metres (17,057 ft)is the second highest mountain inAfricaafterKilimanjaroand lies east of the Aberdare Range.

The Aberdares are the water catchment area for theSasumua damand theNdakaini dam,which provide most of the water for Nairobi. The mountain forests are catchment areas for theTana River,the largest river in Kenya, supplying water to the Seven Forks hydroelectric power complex which generates over 55 percent of Kenya's total electricity output.

Ecology

The mainecosystemswithin the mountain range arerainforestsgiving way to densebambooforests and thenmoorland. The steep western edges of the hillside are sparsely inhabited by wildlife compared to the forested gentle slopes to the east, which are home to a wide variety of wildlife. There are multitudes ofelephants,buffalos,giant forest hogs,hyenasas well as the endangeredblack rhinosandbongos.A variety of cats includingleopards,servals,civet,genetand the rareAfrican golden cat.Other threatened species including theJackson mongoose,theblack and white colobus monkeyandSykes' monkeyare plentiful, as arewaterbuck,reedbuck,duikers,andbushbuck.The Aberdare Range is also home to theendemicAberdare cisticola.

The Aberdares contain a rich diversity of vegetation. There are 778 vegetation and plant species, subspecies and varieties found in theAberdare National Park,due to the park's altitude and rainfall.Hardwoodtrees include camphor,cedar,podoandhagenia.

Much of the range has been protected within theAberdare National Parksince its creation in 1950. The range attracts large numbers of hikers and climbers operating out of the main centers ofNaivashaandGilgil.The lower slopes are farmed, higher areas are known for theirwildlife.TheRhino Chargeis an annual event run by conservationists inKenyato pay for fencing of the Aberdare National Park as a means of protecting East Africa's largest indigenous forest from destruction.

Aberdare Range Forest

Aberdare Ranges Forest are the host for the Aberdare Forest Reserve, which along with the Kikuyu Escarpments runs 120 km (75 mi) northwards from Nairobi and about 40 km (25 mi) at its widest point. With a perimeter of 566 km (352 mi), the Aberdare Range varies in altitude from 2,000 metres (6,600 ft) on the forest boundary on the eastside and 4,001 metres (13,127 ft) towards the northern edge at the peak ofOldonyo Lesatima.The Range descend gradually from the peak towardsNyahururufrom the northern side, where incised river valleys and volcanic vents are evident. On the southern side, the range is steep southwards from ILKinangoppeak towards the northern part of Murang’a North District.

Rivers

The major rivers from the Aberdare Forest are theAthiand theTana,which flow into theIndian Ocean,theEwaso Nyirothat drains into theLorian Swampand the River Malewa that drains intoLake Naivasha.The Aberdares also have several tributaries, and higher up are bog markings that are the source of the rivers on the moorlands and afro-alpine. The Athi, Lake Naivasha, Tana and Ewaso Nyiro river basins have their source in the Aberdare Forest Reserve.

Ecosystems

The mountains have four vegetation zones, including subalpine vegetation, xeromorphic evergreen forest, montane humid forest, and submontane forest. Plants endemic to the range includeAlchemilla hagenia,Coelachne friesiorum,Dendrosenecio brassiciformis,Helichrysum gloria-dei,andHeracleum taylorii.

Sub alpine vegetation

Found at elevations above 3,300 metres (10,800 feet) is the moorlands. Alpine grass (Deschampsia), distinguished by giant groundsell (Dendrosenecio johnstonii),Lobelia deckenii,and heath (Erica mannii). Moorland communities are the main vegetation in this region. Shrub communities consisting ofErica arboreaandHebenstretia angolensisare found between 3,000 and 3,300 metres (9,800 and 10,800 ft), while a belt of bamboo is common between 2,400 and 3,300 m (7,900 and 10,800 ft), and cover about 35,000 ha (135 square miles).

Montane humid forest

This belt is mostly dominated bypioneer speciesMacaranga capensisandNeoboutonia macrocalyxand runs to the east side of the range. The region is also host to the valuable commercial species includingAningeria adolfi-friederici,Kuloa usambarensis,andSyzygium guineense,which are the most conspicuous forest in the Kikuyu escarpment.

Xeromorphic evergreen forest

Located on the dry northern and western slopes of Aberdares, it has several species with the most notable being the olives (Olea europaea,Olea capensis,Olea hochstetteri), podo (Podocarpus milanjianus), and cedar (Juniperus procera).

Sub-montane forest

This forms the seasonal forest cover on the north-east slopes with predominantlyEkebergia capensis,Nuxia congesta,Cassipourea malosana,andCalodendrum capense(Cape chestnut) species.

Events

The Aberdare Range was named byJoseph Thomsonin 1884 in honour ofLord Aberdare,who at the time was president of theRoyal Geographical Societyand theRoyal Historical Society.Aberdare was also aLiberalpolitician who had served asHome Secretaryfrom 1868 to 1873. He was later to become the first chancellor of theUniversity of Wales.

The area is well known as the headquarters ofDedan Kimathi,leader of the 1950sMau Mau Uprising.Elizabeth IIbecame Queen of theUnited Kingdomwhile staying atTreetops Hotelin the Aberdares.

It was also the site whereJ.A. Hunterkilled therogue elephant of Aberdare Forest.

External links

• The Aberdare Mountain Ranges (Nyandarua Range)