Mount Elgon is a
4,321m high extinct volcano
which a million years ago stood
taller than Kilimanjaro does
today. Although the mountain
straddles the Uganda-Kenya border, its
loftiest peak, Wagagai, lies
within Uganda.
Mount
Elgon is an important watershed,
and its slopes support a rich
variety of altitudinal
vegetation zones ranging from
montane forest to high open
moorland studded with the
other-worldly giant lobelia and
groundsel plants.
Elgon was declared a National Park
in 1993 and was approved as a
UNESCO Man and Biodiversity
Reserve in 2005. Elgon's slopes
support a rich variety of
vegetation ranging from montane
forest to high open moorland
studded with lobelia
and groundsels. The vegetation
varies with altitude. The slopes are covered
with olive Olea hochstetteri
and Aningueria
adolfi-friedericii wet
montane forest. At higher
altitudes, this changes to olive
and Podocarpus gracilior
forest, and then a Podocarpus
and bamboo Arundinaria alpina
zone. Higher still is a
Hagenia abyssinica zone and
then moorland with heaths
Erica arborea and
Philippia trimera, tussock
grasses such as Agrostis
gracilifolia and Festuca
pilgeri, herbs such as
Alchemilla, Helichrysum,
Lobelia, and the giant
groundsels Senecio barbatipes
and Senecio elgonensis.
The botanical diversity of the
park includes giant podocarpus,
juniper and Elgon olive trees
cedar Juniperus procera,
pillarwood Cassipourea
malosana, elder Sambucus
adnata, pure stands of
Podocarpus gracilior and
many orchids.
Of the 400 plant species recorded for
the area the following are of
particular note as they only
occur in high altitude
broad-leaf montane forest: Ardisiandra
wettsteinii, Carduus
afromontanus, Echinops hoehnelii,
Ranunculus keniensis
(previously thought endemic to
Mount Kenya), and Romulea
keniensis.
Elephants and
buffalo can be found on the
lower mountain slopes. The park
is also home to a variety of
antelope and monkeys,
including the Black-and-white Colobus and Blue Monkey. Over
300 birds can also be found in
the area, including the
endangered Lammergeier, African
Goshawk, and Baglafecht Weaver.
Maathai's Longleg an endangered
dragonfly was discovered here in
2000 and named after Nobel Prize
winner Wangari Mathaai.Mt Elgon moorland still portrays its natural beauty. The Wagagai Peak (4321m), with 40 Sq Km caldera is the main reason why many visitors opt for Mt Elgon hiking safari adventures.