6562 – 8858 ft
description
Transcript of 6562 – 8858 ft
6562 – 8858 ft• Despite the altitude it is hot here. There is abundant water flowing from further up the
mountain. Starting off the hike you may feel very hot and sticky, particularly during the summer months (Dec – March).
• The first part of your journey will take you through mountain forest. This is the wettest area of Kilimanjaro, with over 90% of water on Kilimanjaro falling as rain in this zone.
• Podocarpus milanjianus are common trees in this zone. Its green berries have a red, fleshy part much favored by many animals.
• Other trees include: • Junipers rocera – the twisted juniper reaches 30 m (295 ft) in height.• Ilex mitisa – an elegant tree that grows mainly in the upper reaches of the forest.• Hagenia abyssinica – this rosewood tree is huge and has dark red-brown hanging
clusters of flowers.• Agauria salicfolia – a gnarled tree with rough reddish bark.
• The animals that live in this forest include black and white colobus monkeys and blue monkeys. Buffalo and elephants also live here but they are seldom seen. The leopard also lives throughout the forest but most times the presence of fur-filled droppings is the only indication of them. Many bird calls can be heard in the forest. These birds include: common bulbul, Hautlaub's turacos, and silvery-cheeked hornbills.
Podocarpus milanjianus
Podocarpus milanjianus
Ilex mitisa
Twisted Juniper
• Agauria salicfolia • Hagenia abyssinica
Monkeys
• Bulbul • Hautlaub's turacos
• Silvery-cheeked hornbill
The Heather Zone 8,858 – 11,811 ft
• • Higher up, Kilimanjaro becomes too cold and dry for trees to grow and the
forest zones ends. This is where the heather zone begins. It takes its name from the giant Heather trees, Erica orborea, which dominates large areas.
• The Heather zone is dominated by shrubs like: • Hyericum revolutum. This plant can grow up to 5 m (16 ft) tall and has
large yellow, open cup-shaped flowers. • Adenocarpus manni – a member of the pea family that thrives in high
altitudes.• Protea kilimanscharica – a very distinctive plant with a large ball-shaped
cream or yellow flowers and stiff leather evergreen leaves. • There are sunbirds in this zone and species seen include Eastern Double-
Collared Sunbirds and Malachite Sunbirds.
• Erica orborea • Hyericum revolutum
• Adenocarpus manni • Protea kilimanscharica
• Eastern Double-Collared Sunbirds
• Malachite Sunbirds
The Moorland Zone 11,811 – 13,780 ft
• This zone has a grassy base from which emerge the extraordinary giant lobelias and senecios. These giant plants are unique to Eastern Africa.
• The four-striped mouse (striped back) and the mole rat (plain gray brown) are commonly seen and form the majority of the diet for cats who live hunt here.
• lobelias • senecios
• four-striped mouse • mole rat
The Alpine Zone 13,780 ft+
• The alpine zone experiences dramatic
variations in temperature between day and night. Night often get below freezing and days can see ground temperatures reach over 104 degrees Fahrenheit. Water is very limited with annual precipitation around 5 inches per year. No large animals live here, but buffalos, lions and leopards occasionally visit the zone.