Taita Hills
Encyclopedia
The Taita Hills, sometimes also spelled as Teita Hills, are a precambrian mountain range in the south-west of Kenya
in Taita-Taveta District
. The hills consist of three massifs namely Dabida
, Sagalla in the southern side of Voi
township and Kasigau in the south near the border of Tanzania. The Dawida massif is the largest and tallest of the three, with an altitude of 2,228 meters above sea level at its highest peak, Vuria. Dabida has three other main peaks: Iyale, Wesu, and Susu.
(e.g. Saintpaulia teitensis) occur exclusively in that region and known endemic bird species are the Taita Thrush
(Turdus helleri) and the Taita Apalis
(Apalis fascigularis). The Taita Falcon
(Falco fasciinucha) and the Taita Fiscal
(Lanius dorsalis) were first discovered at the hills but occur elsewhere too. Also an amphibian
genus Boulengerula
occurs only at the Taita Hills. The Sagala Caecilian (Boulengerula niedeni
) is a critically endangered worm-like amphibian that also lives in the Taita Hills. The native Taita people are living at the edge of the forests and develop the soil which is very productive. The region was severely logged in the past and the remaining indigenous forest is now part of a nature reserve.
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...
in Taita-Taveta District
Taita-Taveta District
Taita Taveta-District is one of the seventy-one districts of Kenya, located in the Coast Province of that country. It lies approximately 200 km northwest of Mombasa and 360 km southeast of Nairobi city....
. The hills consist of three massifs namely Dabida
Dabida
Dabida is a settlement in Kenya's Coast Province.It is known for its racism against Jews....
, Sagalla in the southern side of Voi
Voi
Voi is a market town in southern Kenya, lying on the edge of the Tsavo National Park. It lies at the junction of the railway lines from Nairobi to Mombasa and Taveta. Also the Voi Sisal Estates are located near the town. Voi is also located near some Taita villages like, Ikanga and...
township and Kasigau in the south near the border of Tanzania. The Dawida massif is the largest and tallest of the three, with an altitude of 2,228 meters above sea level at its highest peak, Vuria. Dabida has three other main peaks: Iyale, Wesu, and Susu.
Ecology of the hills
The hills are known for their moist forests with a unique fauna and flora. More than 20 endemic species of African violetsSaintpaulia
Saintpaulia, commonly known as African violet, is a genus of six species of herbaceous perennial flowering plants in the family Gesneriaceae, native to Tanzania and adjacent southeastern Kenya in eastern tropical Africa, with a concentration of species in the Nguru mountains of Tanzania...
(e.g. Saintpaulia teitensis) occur exclusively in that region and known endemic bird species are the Taita Thrush
Taita Thrush
The Taita Thrush , also known as Taita Olive Thrush or Heller's Ground Thrush, is a critically endangered bird from the family of thrushes , endemic to the Taita Hills in Kenya.-Description:...
(Turdus helleri) and the Taita Apalis
Taita Apalis
The Taita Apalis is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family. It is endemic to Kenya.Its natural habitat is subtropical or tropical moist montanes. It is threatened by habitat loss.-References:...
(Apalis fascigularis). The Taita Falcon
Taita Falcon
The Taita Falcon is one of the smallest falcons in the Southern African Sub-region. It was first described from the Taita Hills of Kenya from which it derives its name. It is spread throughout the eastern portion of subsaharan Africa but is mostly found in Kenya...
(Falco fasciinucha) and the Taita Fiscal
Taita Fiscal
The Taita Fiscal, Lanius dorsalis, is a member of the shrike family found in east Africa, from southeastern Sudan and southern Ethiopia to northeastern Tanzania. Its habitat is dry open thornbush and acacia and other dry open woodland.-Description:...
(Lanius dorsalis) were first discovered at the hills but occur elsewhere too. Also an amphibian
Amphibian
Amphibians , are a class of vertebrate animals including animals such as toads, frogs, caecilians, and salamanders. They are characterized as non-amniote ectothermic tetrapods...
genus Boulengerula
Boulengerula
Boulengerula is a genus of amphibian in the Caeciliidae family.- Species :...
occurs only at the Taita Hills. The Sagala Caecilian (Boulengerula niedeni
Boulengerula niedeni
The Sagala Caecilian is a worm-like amphibian first described in 2005. The species was described from a specimen discovered on Sagala Hill, an isolated mountain block of the Taita Hills in Kenya. Because of the small range of this species, it listed as critically endangered on the IUCN Red List...
) is a critically endangered worm-like amphibian that also lives in the Taita Hills. The native Taita people are living at the edge of the forests and develop the soil which is very productive. The region was severely logged in the past and the remaining indigenous forest is now part of a nature reserve.