Shaba National Reserve
Encyclopedia
Shaba National Reserve is a protected area
in northern Kenya
to the east of the Samburu
and Buffalo Springs
national reserves. Together, the three reserves form a large protected area.
The Shaba reserve has dramatic scenery including river-side forests, scattered woodlands and dry grasslands dominated by the Shaba Hill volcano. The plentiful wildlife relies on waterholes and marshes scattered throughout the reserve. Shaba is home to the endangered Grevy's zebra
and the rare Williams's Lark
. Shaba was the setting for the book and film Born Free
, for the film Out of Africa and for the reality show Survivor: Africa
.
The reserve is a popular destination for tourists. There is some risk that excess numbers of visitors and growth of the local population around the reserve may place stress on the environment.
. The Ewaso Ngiro river runs for 34 kilometres (21.1 mi) along the northern boundary of the reserve. Annual rainfall is between 250 millimetres (9.8 in) and 500 millimetres (19.7 in). The soils are sandy, volcanic in origin. The reserve is semi desert, dotted with isolated hills and plentiful springs. Shaba Hill in the south, with its volcanic formations, rises to 2145 metres (7,037.4 ft) above sea level from relatively flat surrounding country. The land at the foot of this hill is rugged, containing steep ravines.
Shaba is smaller than Samburu Reserve and has more riverine forests, which contain acacia elatior and doum palm
s. Away from the river the habitats include Umbrella Thorn Acacia woodland, bush land dominated by Commiphora
, alkaline grasslands and open areas of lava rock that contain scattered patches of grass and shrubs.
There are many klipspringer and hyrax in the hills.
Aardvarks, warthogs and bat-eared foxes make their homes in domed termite mounds in the shrubland.
Common elands, impalas, Bright's gazelles and gerenuk
s (or giraffe gazelles) graze the shrubs, and zebras, oryxes and greater and lesser kudus graze in the grasslands.
Shaba is well known for its large prides of lions, which doze under thickets of toothbrush trees during the day.
At night, predators include golden and black-backed jackels, striped and spotted hyenas.
The reserve is home to rare species that include the reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich and the endangered Grevy's zebra
.
Other fauna include leopards and elephants.
Bird life is plentiful in Shaba, and similar to that of the Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves.
The near-threatened and poorly known Williams's Lark
is found in the reserve in regions of rocky lava semi-desert with low Barleria
shrubs. It has not been seen in any other protected area.
The reserve lies on the migration route from the Palearctic
for the globally threatened Lesser Kestrel
, a few of whom pass through each year.
Shaba is also home to regionally-threatened birds that include the sporadically visiting African Darter
and Great Egret
and the resident White-headed Vulture
, Martial Eagle
and Yellow-billed Oxpecker
, the last of which is fairly common.
and the lioness Elsa
, subjects of the 1966 film Born Free
.
Adamson was murdered in the reserve in January 1980.
There is a monument to Joy Adamson.
The film Out of Africa was shot in part within the reserve, as were various other TV shows and commercials that take advantage of the wildlife and dramatic scenery.
In 2001, two thirds of the park was sealed off for four months while a huge CBS crew shot episodes of Survivor: Africa
, a reality TV show in which participants must find ways to survive in the desert. The local people, who survive there from year to year, complained that CBS had not given them work during the filming.
Military training in the region to the north of the reserve causes considerable environmental disruption.
Levels of grazing, hunting and firewood collection are rising in the areas around the reserve, and sometimes this activity intrudes into the reserve itself. There is no management plan for tourism, and there is a risk that numbers of visitors may rise to unsustainable levels.
Protected area
Protected areas are locations which receive protection because of their recognised natural, ecological and/or cultural values. There are several kinds of protected areas, which vary by level of protection depending on the enabling laws of each country or the regulations of the international...
in northern Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
to the east of the Samburu
Samburu National Reserve
The Samburu National Reserve is located on the banks of the Ewaso Ng'iro river in Kenya; on the other side of the river is the Buffalo Springs National Reserve in Northern Kenya. It is 165 km² in size and 350 kilometers from Nairobi and ranges in altitude from 800 to 1230m above sea level...
and Buffalo Springs
Buffalo Springs National Reserve
Buffalo Springs National Reserve is a protected area in the Isiolo District of Eastern Province, in northern Kenya.-Organization:The reserve was established in 1948 as part of the Samburu - Isiolo Game Reserve, and the present boundaries were established in 1985...
national reserves. Together, the three reserves form a large protected area.
The Shaba reserve has dramatic scenery including river-side forests, scattered woodlands and dry grasslands dominated by the Shaba Hill volcano. The plentiful wildlife relies on waterholes and marshes scattered throughout the reserve. Shaba is home to the endangered Grevy's zebra
Grevy's Zebra
The Grévy's zebra , also known as the Imperial zebra, is the largest extant wild equid and one of three species of zebra, the other two being the plains zebra and the mountain zebra. Named after Jules Grévy, it is the sole extant member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. The Grévy's zebra is found in...
and the rare Williams's Lark
Williams's Lark
The Williams's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. Discovered in 1955, much of its life and ecology is still a mystery to ornithology.- Range and habitats :...
. Shaba was the setting for the book and film Born Free
Born Free
Born Free is a 1966 British drama film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as Joy and George Adamson, a real-life couple who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub, to adulthood, and released her into the wilds of Kenya. The movie was produced by Open Road Films Ltd. and Columbia...
, for the film Out of Africa and for the reality show Survivor: Africa
Survivor: Africa
Survivor: Africa is the third season of the United States reality show Survivor. It was filmed during 2001 and aired from October 11, 2001 - January 10, 2002 on CBS. It was set in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve on the African continent....
.
The reserve is a popular destination for tourists. There is some risk that excess numbers of visitors and growth of the local population around the reserve may place stress on the environment.
Location
The Shaba National Reserve was gazetted in 1974. It is administered by the Isiolo County Council. It is just east of Samburu and 70 kilometres (43.5 mi) to the north of Mount KenyaMount Kenya
Mount Kenya is the highest mountain in Kenya and the second-highest in Africa, after Kilimanjaro. The highest peaks of the mountain are Batian , Nelion and Point Lenana . Mount Kenya is located in central Kenya, just south of the equator, around north-northeast of the capital Nairobi...
. The Ewaso Ngiro river runs for 34 kilometres (21.1 mi) along the northern boundary of the reserve. Annual rainfall is between 250 millimetres (9.8 in) and 500 millimetres (19.7 in). The soils are sandy, volcanic in origin. The reserve is semi desert, dotted with isolated hills and plentiful springs. Shaba Hill in the south, with its volcanic formations, rises to 2145 metres (7,037.4 ft) above sea level from relatively flat surrounding country. The land at the foot of this hill is rugged, containing steep ravines.
Shaba is smaller than Samburu Reserve and has more riverine forests, which contain acacia elatior and doum palm
Doum palm
Hyphaene thebaica, with common names doum palm and gingerbread tree, is a type of palm tree with edible oval fruit. It is native to the Nile valley in Egypt and Sudan, and in riverine areas of northwestern Kenya.-Uses:...
s. Away from the river the habitats include Umbrella Thorn Acacia woodland, bush land dominated by Commiphora
Commiphora
Commiphora is a genus of flowering plants in the family Burseraceae. It includes about 185 species of trees and shrubs, often armed or thorny, native to Africa, Arabia, and the Indian subcontinent.-Uses:...
, alkaline grasslands and open areas of lava rock that contain scattered patches of grass and shrubs.
Fauna
Although Shaba is greener than Samburu, game species such as giraffes and zebras are less common.There are many klipspringer and hyrax in the hills.
Aardvarks, warthogs and bat-eared foxes make their homes in domed termite mounds in the shrubland.
Common elands, impalas, Bright's gazelles and gerenuk
Gerenuk
The Gerenuk , also known as the Waller's Gazelle, is a long-necked species of antelope found in dry bushy scrub and steppe in East Africa, from Somalia and eastern Ethiopia through northern and eastern Kenya to northeastern Tanzania...
s (or giraffe gazelles) graze the shrubs, and zebras, oryxes and greater and lesser kudus graze in the grasslands.
Shaba is well known for its large prides of lions, which doze under thickets of toothbrush trees during the day.
At night, predators include golden and black-backed jackels, striped and spotted hyenas.
The reserve is home to rare species that include the reticulated giraffe, Somali ostrich and the endangered Grevy's zebra
Grevy's Zebra
The Grévy's zebra , also known as the Imperial zebra, is the largest extant wild equid and one of three species of zebra, the other two being the plains zebra and the mountain zebra. Named after Jules Grévy, it is the sole extant member of the subgenus Dolichohippus. The Grévy's zebra is found in...
.
Other fauna include leopards and elephants.
Bird life is plentiful in Shaba, and similar to that of the Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves.
The near-threatened and poorly known Williams's Lark
Williams's Lark
The Williams's Lark is a species of lark in the Alaudidae family. Discovered in 1955, much of its life and ecology is still a mystery to ornithology.- Range and habitats :...
is found in the reserve in regions of rocky lava semi-desert with low Barleria
Barleria
Barleria is a genus of plants in the family Acanthaceae.Some species include:* Barleria cristata, the Crested Philippine violet* B. obtusa, the Bush violet* B. prionitis, Linn., the porcupine flower, a plant from India- External links :...
shrubs. It has not been seen in any other protected area.
The reserve lies on the migration route from the Palearctic
Palearctic
The Palearctic or Palaearctic is one of the eight ecozones dividing the Earth's surface.Physically, the Palearctic is the largest ecozone...
for the globally threatened Lesser Kestrel
Lesser Kestrel
The Lesser Kestrel is a small falcon. This species breeds from the Mediterranean across southern central Asia to China and Mongolia. It is a summer migrant, wintering in Africa and Pakistan and sometimes even to India and Iraq. It is rare north of its breeding range, and declining in its European...
, a few of whom pass through each year.
Shaba is also home to regionally-threatened birds that include the sporadically visiting African Darter
African Darter
The African Darter , sometimes called the Snakebird, is a water bird of sub-Saharan Africa.-Taxonomy:The African Darter is a member of the darter family, Anhingidae, and is closely related to American , Oriental , and Australian Darters.-Description:The male is mainly glossy...
and Great Egret
Great Egret
The Great Egret , also known as the Great White Egret or Common Egret, White Heron, or Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in southern Europe it is rather localized...
and the resident White-headed Vulture
White-headed Vulture
The White-headed Vulture is an Old World vulture endemic to Africa. It has a pink beak and a white crest, and the featherless areas on its head are pale. Its has dark brown upper parts and black tail feathers. The feathers on its lower parts and legs are white. It has a wing span of 2 m and spends...
, Martial Eagle
Martial Eagle
The Martial Eagle , is a very large eagle found in open and semi-open habitats of sub-Saharan Africa. It is the only member of the genus Polemaetus.-Description:...
and Yellow-billed Oxpecker
Yellow-billed Oxpecker
The Yellow-billed Oxpecker, Buphagus africanus, is a passerine bird in the starling and myna family Sturnidae; some ornithologists regard the Oxpeckers to be a separate family, the Buphagidae . It is native to the savannah of sub-Saharan Africa from Senegal east to Sudan...
, the last of which is fairly common.
Media use
The park was made famous by Joy AdamsonJoy Adamson
Joy Adamson was a naturalist, artist, and author best known for her book, Born Free, which describes her experiences raising a lion cub named Elsa...
and the lioness Elsa
Elsa the lioness
Elsa the lioness was raised by game warden George Adamson and his wife Joy Adamson in Kenya. Elsa and her two sisters, 'Big One' and 'Lustica', first came under the care of the Adamsons when only a few weeks old. They had become orphaned when George was reluctantly forced to kill their mother...
, subjects of the 1966 film Born Free
Born Free
Born Free is a 1966 British drama film starring Virginia McKenna and Bill Travers as Joy and George Adamson, a real-life couple who raised Elsa the Lioness, an orphaned lion cub, to adulthood, and released her into the wilds of Kenya. The movie was produced by Open Road Films Ltd. and Columbia...
.
Adamson was murdered in the reserve in January 1980.
There is a monument to Joy Adamson.
The film Out of Africa was shot in part within the reserve, as were various other TV shows and commercials that take advantage of the wildlife and dramatic scenery.
In 2001, two thirds of the park was sealed off for four months while a huge CBS crew shot episodes of Survivor: Africa
Survivor: Africa
Survivor: Africa is the third season of the United States reality show Survivor. It was filmed during 2001 and aired from October 11, 2001 - January 10, 2002 on CBS. It was set in Kenya's Shaba National Reserve on the African continent....
, a reality TV show in which participants must find ways to survive in the desert. The local people, who survive there from year to year, complained that CBS had not given them work during the filming.
Ecological concerns
Shaba is valuable for its diverse fauna of the Somali–Masai biome, and is important as a home for the poorly-known Williams's Lark. Neither the reserve, nor the lark's habitat are immediately threatened.Military training in the region to the north of the reserve causes considerable environmental disruption.
Levels of grazing, hunting and firewood collection are rising in the areas around the reserve, and sometimes this activity intrudes into the reserve itself. There is no management plan for tourism, and there is a risk that numbers of visitors may rise to unsustainable levels.