Ngong Hills Forest Reserve

Ngong Hills Forest Reserve
Ngong Hills Forest Reserve
	Location within Kenya
Nearest city	Nairobi
Coordinates	1°24′54.3″S 36°38′30.7″E / 1.415083°S 36.641861°E
Area	21,105 square kilometres (8,149 sq mi)
Elevation	2,483 meters (8,146 ft) ASL
Established	1981; 43 years ago; (as a forest reserve)
Governing body	Kenya Wildlife Service; Kenya Forest Service;

Ngong Hills Forest Reserve is the protected area of the larger Ngong Hills, Ngong, Kenya. The reserve is located on the southern tip of the Rift Valley region, 25 kilometres (16 miles) away from Kenya's capital, Nairobi. With the tallest peak standing at an altitude of 2,460 meters (8,070 ft) above sea level,^{[citation needed]} it is the highest point in Ngong.^[1]

History

The history of Ngong Hills Forest Reserve dates back to 1981 when it was officially Gazetted by Government of Kenya as a forest reserve.^[1]

Geography

The forest reserve is situated on 21,000 km² of an undulating terrain along the knuckle-shaped Ngong Hills. The highest point of the terrain is the Ngong Hills, standing at an altitude of 2,160 km above sea level.

Climate

The climate of the reserve is mainly sub-humid and semi-arid with a patches of humid climate around the Ngong Hills themselves. Short rains occur between October and December while long rains between March and May.^[1]

Biodiversity

Vegetation

The eastern side of the hills are predominated by montane dry forest and wooded grassland while the western side is primarily made of bushlands.

Wildlife

The wildlife of Ngong Hills Forest Reserve mainly consists of buffaloes, vervets and colobus monkeys, baboons, duikers, bush pigs, water bucks and leopards. Leopards are, however, mostly found in the remnants of the indigenous forest along the river valleys.

Conservation

Tourism

"A very pretty neighbourhood on the edge of a thick wood behind which dwelt the dreaded people of the Kikuyu, while on the south stretched vast pastures tenanted by the great herds of cattle belonging to the Masai" Lieutenant Ludwig von Hohnel, of the Ngong Hills in 188

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Kenya Wildlife Service (2018). "Ngong Hills Forest Reserve". African Horizons. Retrieved 24 April 2024.

External links

[:AfH-1] Kenya Wildlife Service (2018). "Ngong Hills Forest Reserve". African Horizons. Retrieved 24 April 2024.

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