Amboseli
lies immediately North West of
Mt.
Kilimanjaro,
on the border with Tanzania. Its
wealth of flora and fauna has
resulted in the recent
designation as an International
Bio-sphere Reserve. Amboseli,
meaning "Salty Dust" in the
Maasai language is an important
rangeland for the Masai culture
whilst the 'salty dust' itself
is volcanic ash from the
eruptions of the Mount
Kilimanjaro a millennium ago.
Over 53 species of herbivores
and carnivores can be viewed
with ease, the most conspicuous
being the troops of over one
thousand elephant who range the
plains and wallow the swamps. A
number of other unique animals
also populate the area including
lion, cheetah, giraffes, zebras,
buffalo, rhino, wildebeest,
gerenuks, impalas,
gazelles, hyenas, baboons, bats
and about 425 different species
of birds. The Amboseli ecosystem
is typical of the open savannah
grassland habitats of Eastern
Africa, featuring
open
wooded grasslands, rolling hills
and swamplands whilst the
presence of Mount Kilimanjaro
creates a unique selection of
ecosystems found nowhere else on
earth. The Amboseli basin is fed
by springs that provide a
permanent source of water during
the dry season, while the river
systems north of the basin form
a seasonal flood plain that is
used by migratory animals during
the rainy seasons. Although the
region has a relatively low
wildlife biomass it supports a
greater variety of animals than
neighboring Tsavo which is fifty
times bigger than the compact
but comprehensive Amboseli.
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