Tana River Primate Reserve
Encyclopedia
Tana River Primate Reserve, totaling eleven square miles of scattered forest patches, was set aside in 1976 in order to protect the swamp
y forests of the Lower Tana River
and two endangered primates, the Tana River Mangabey
and the Tana River Red Colobus
, that are found there.
The reserve, sixteen patches of forest ranging from 10 to 625 ha (totaling 171 km), extends for 16 km down the meandering lower Tana River located approximately 350 km east of Nairobi
and 240 km north of Mombasa
. In the reserve, on the east and west sides of the river, are dry woodland
and savanna
habitat.
, being typical of Central Africa
’s lowland rainforest
. The White-winged Apalis
is extremely rare. The African Openbill Stork
, Martial Eagle
, Bat Hawk
, African Pygmy-falcon, African Barred Owlet
, Scaly Babbler
, Black-bellied Glossy-starling
, and Golden Pipit
are also rare.
Swamp
A swamp is a wetland with some flooding of large areas of land by shallow bodies of water. A swamp generally has a large number of hammocks, or dry-land protrusions, covered by aquatic vegetation, or vegetation that tolerates periodical inundation. The two main types of swamp are "true" or swamp...
y forests of the Lower Tana River
Tana River (Kenya)
The long Tana River is the longest river in Kenya, and gives its name to the Tana River District. Its tributaries include the Thika. The river rises in the Aberdare Mountains to the west of Nyeri. Initially it runs east before turning south around the massif of Mount Kenya. The river then runs...
and two endangered primates, the Tana River Mangabey
Tana River Mangabey
The Tana River mangabey is a highly endangered species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. Some authorities have included the taxa agilis and sanjei as subspecies of this species, while others award these full species status.It is endemic to riverine forest patches along the lower Tana River...
and the Tana River Red Colobus
Tana River Red Colobus
The Tana River red colobus , also called the eastern red colobus, is a highly endangered species of primate in the Cercopithecidae family. It is endemic to a narrow zone of gallery forest near the Tana River in southeastern Kenya. As all red colobuses, it was formerly considered a subspecies of a...
, that are found there.
The reserve, sixteen patches of forest ranging from 10 to 625 ha (totaling 171 km), extends for 16 km down the meandering lower Tana River located approximately 350 km east of Nairobi
Nairobi
Nairobi is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The city and its surrounding area also forms the Nairobi County. The name "Nairobi" comes from the Maasai phrase Enkare Nyirobi, which translates to "the place of cool waters". However, it is popularly known as the "Green City in the Sun" and is...
and 240 km north of Mombasa
Mombasa
Mombasa is the second-largest city in Kenya. Lying next to the Indian Ocean, it has a major port and an international airport. The city also serves as the centre of the coastal tourism industry....
. In the reserve, on the east and west sides of the river, are dry woodland
Woodland
Ecologically, a woodland is a low-density forest forming open habitats with plenty of sunlight and limited shade. Woodlands may support an understory of shrubs and herbaceous plants including grasses. Woodland may form a transition to shrubland under drier conditions or during early stages of...
and savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
habitat.
Habitat
The lush river forest patches are unique remainders of western African forests. The river cuts through dry woodland and open savannah. Two endangered primates, the Tana River Mangabey and the Tana River Red Colobus, that are found there along with five more primate species. Recorded bird species there number 262, and at least 57 species of mammals live there. There are several endemic tree species as well as a variety of other animals and plants. Many of the bird and animal species in the reserve are unusual in East AfricaEast Africa
East Africa or Eastern Africa is the easterly region of the African continent, variably defined by geography or geopolitics. In the UN scheme of geographic regions, 19 territories constitute Eastern Africa:...
, being typical of Central Africa
Central Africa
Central Africa is a core region of the African continent which includes Burundi, the Central African Republic, Chad, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda....
’s lowland rainforest
Rainforest
Rainforests are forests characterized by high rainfall, with definitions based on a minimum normal annual rainfall of 1750-2000 mm...
. The White-winged Apalis
White-winged Apalis
The White-winged Apalis is a species of bird in the Cisticolidae family.It is found in Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, and Tanzania....
is extremely rare. The African Openbill Stork
African Openbill Stork
The African Openbill is a species of stork in the Ciconiidae family.-Habitat and distribution:It is found in Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea,...
, 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:...
, Bat Hawk
Bat Hawk
The Bat Hawk is a raptor found in sub-Saharan Africa and south Asia to New Guinea. It is named for its diet, which consists mainly of bats. It requires open space in which to hunt, but will live anywhere from dense rainforest to semi-arid veld.-Description:The Bat Hawk is a slender, medium-sized...
, African Pygmy-falcon, African Barred Owlet
African Barred Owlet
The African Barred Owlet is a species of owl in the Strigidae family. It is found in Angola, Botswana, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Uganda, Zambia, and...
, Scaly Babbler
Scaly Babbler
The Scaly Babbler is a species of bird in the Timaliidae family.It is found in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.Its natural habitats are subtropical or tropical dry forests and subtropical or tropical dry shrubland.-References:...
, Black-bellied Glossy-starling
Black-bellied Glossy-starling
The Black-bellied Glossy-starling is a species of starling in the Sturnidae family.It is found in Kenya, Mozambique, Somalia, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe.-References:...
, and Golden Pipit
Golden Pipit
The Golden Pipit is a distinctive pipit of dry country grassland, savanna and shrubland in eastern Africa. It is native to Ethiopia, Kenya, Somalia, Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda, and has occurred as a vagrant to Oman, South Africa and Zimbabwe.The adult male, unlike most pipits, is very easy to...
are also rare.