The only tropical rain forest in Kenya-Kakamega forest safaris

The Kakamega Forest National Reserve is situated in the Lake Victoria basin, approximately 50km north of Kisumu city. Being the only remnant in Kenya with unique Guineo-Congolian forest ecosystem, wildlife and scenic beauty in the Western county gives a truly meaning of traveling to Kenya safaris

Wonderful things on this serene environment of Kakamega rainforest .it is the only tropical rain forest in

Canopies of Kakamega forest

Kenya and stretched across the Central Africa to East Africa. The forest is located in Western circuit of Kakamega County and has remained as the major tourists’ attraction in the area for many years.

The Rainforest is penetrated by a network of hiking trails silent with only melody and lullabies of singing birds, whispering trees, rasp of butterflies flying all over, the croaking frogs echoing, chattering of monkeys as they jump from tree to tree another and gurgling streams nearby giving you an exciting experience as you walk around the forest with well trained guides that give a smile as they give history and facts about of every attraction come across in the dense forest.

Kakamega Forest is the only lowland rainforest area in Kenya and was ranked third highest priority for conservation among forests in Kenya by the International union of Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

The Great Blue Turaco Bird in Kakamega forest

Along with other forest areas in Kenya, Kakamega Forest has been shrinking rapidly as human population growth and resource use have increased tremendously in the last century.

It is situated amidst Kenya's densest populated agricultural region, with an  approximately 1,000 people per square kilometer living around. Although some sections of Kakamega Forest are now protected as national forest reserves, the Luhya people who live around the forest still rely heavily on it for their basic needs such as fuel wood, charcoal, timber, medicine and meat. The pressure on the limited resources of Kakamega Forest has increased alarmingly over the last decade and this call for government intervention to curd the destruction of this natural beauty of Kakamega forest.

Apart from various plants species, the forest has over 360 species of birds, 400 species of butterflies, 7 species of primates, other animals include chameleons, and lizards. It also has other touristic area in the County like the crying stone of Ilesi which is about 17km from Kakamega rainforest.

The African Harrier Hawk at Kakamega Forest.

Other mammals includes ,squirrels, Bush bucks, Aardvarks, porcupines, giant forest hogs and many others game viewing animals.

The rainforest is one of the best tourist destinations in Kenya and East Africa that you can visit and explore on foot enjoying the wildlife in wilderness, feeling fresh air of the dense rain forest viewing various canopies layers of the rainforest with different medicinal plants species in the ecosystem among other attractions.

With this western circuit it has a wide option of choosing your preferred attraction ranging from forest walking, camping ,hiking ,primate watching, bird and butterfly watching, game watching, self-guided nature walks and thus give you a true experience of  Kenya Africa safaris

Sharon C

Kenya safaris

www.soinafricasafaris.com

Learn more on Kenya wildlife safaris-Africa Elephants

Africa elephants weigh up to 6000 kg and can measure up to 3.3 m at the shoulder and known to be the world’s largest land mammal. It is characterized by its highly dexterous trunk, long curved tusks, and massive ears.

Elephants form huge part of popular culture especially in Africa and show up as metaphors across all media.

They form a part of religious beliefs and are often associated with wisdom by most Africa countries. However, many people who live outside the normal range of elephants are unfamiliar with the many interesting facts about them.

The gestation period of an elephant is 22 months

Kenya Maasai Mara  safaris-African Elephants

and give birth only one calf at a time though female elephant can adapt a calf of a different mother  and take care in case of any death  just like human being adapting. They also mourn for seven days in case of any death and bury their bodies just like human being.

We have several of species of elephants namely; the Asian elephant and the African bush elephant loxodonta and the African forest elephant loxodonta cyclones. The Asian elephant are known to be the smallest, and has small ears and tusks. They have two prominent bumps on their foreheads. They hold their heads more erect than both African elephants, have no protruding upper lip, and have a single short finger-like lip at the end of their trunk.

However, in African elephants both have larger ears, although the forest elephant has much rounder ears, are less hairy, have larger tusks, rounded foreheads, and have two finger-like lips on their trunks. Most elephants are most active during dawn and evening and female elephants live in a herd of about 10 individuals lead by the most experienced matriarch, whereas the males are normally solitary and move from herd to herd. The females in each herd help each other find food and care for calves as this is their responsibility.

Both male and female elephants possess tusks, which are modified incisor teeth. These tusks will continue to grow throughout the elephant’s life. Elephant tusks are used for digging, foraging, and using as defence mechanism during fight. Their large ears also serve many purposes.

Elephants in their natural ecosystem Tsavo  Park

The ears’ large surface area helps radiate excess heat under the harsh African region and also use in communication though known to communicate through low frequency sounds called “rumbling which they understand each other well.

Human beings are the most threats to these animals when it comes to Kenya Africa elephant. Poaching is at high because of its value of ivory and thus may affect Kenya safaris in the near future. With these continuous poaching calls for Kenya government to enact tough laws to curb these menaces.

Sharon Sheery

Kenya safaris

www.soinafricasafaris.com

KENYA BIG CATS SAFARIS-THE CHEETAH

Cheetahs are known to be among the cats. Traveling to Kenya wildlife safaris will offer you an exciting experience to witness the big cat’s safaris which includes the lions, leopards and the cheetahs which all belong to the cat’s family. They are mostly found in Saharan Africa, wild cheetahs once were found in most of Africa, the plains of southern Asia, the Middle East and India.

Cheetah on the look out,Maasai Mara safaris

But they mostly spend their time in open savanna. They are carnivore’s animals and known to be majestic guys. They are smaller than the other two cats, but are the fastest animal on land with a speed of 70 miles per hour.

Cheetahs has a life span of 10 to 12 years, the cheetahs are basically solitary animals. At times a male will accompany a female for a short while after mating, but most often the female is alone or with her cubs. Two to four cubs are born in a secluded place. When the mother is hunting, she leaves them hidden, but by 6 weeks of age they are able to follow her. They are suckled for 2 to 3 months but begin to eat meat as early as 3to 4 weeks.
By 4 months the cheetah cub is a tawny yellow and almost completely spotted; the tail has bands of black and by adulthood a white tip. The grayish mantle disappears more slowly; the last traces are still visible when the cubs are adult-sized at 15 months.
The y  have long, slim, muscular legs, a small, rounded head set on a long neck, a flexible spine, a deep chest, sharp  claws, special pads on its feet for traction and a long tail meant  for balancing its body.

Kenya Maasai Mara big cats

Although fast, the cheetah cannot run at full speed for long distances as they preserve their energy for future use as they relied on fresh meat and thus tend to surrender their meat in case of intruders like lions.
Cheetahs have distinctive black "tear stripes" that connect from the inside corner of each eye to the mouth that may serve as anti-reflective device for daytime hunting.

Cheetah mothers spend a long time teaching their young how to hunt small preys like antelope. Antelopes are brought back to the cubs and released so they can chase and catch them. Unlike most other cats, the cheetah are diurnal and thus preferred an early morning or early evening’s their favorite time for hunting, but is also active on moonlit nights. Cheetahs do not roar like lions, but they purr, hiss, whine and growl as their means of communication

Cheetahs on the  look out at Maasai Mara National Reserve

Once a cheetah has made a kill, it eats quickly and keeps an eye out for scavengers lions, leopards, hyenas, vultures and jackals will occasionally take away their kills. Although cheetahs usually prey on the smaller antelopes such as Thomson's gazelles and impalas, they can catch wildebeests and zebras if they tamed together. They also hunt hares and other small mammals and birds though they are too small to satisfy their belly.
Although known as an animal of the open plains that relies on speed to catch its prey, research has shown that the cheetah depends on cover to stalk prey. The cheetah gets as close to the prey as possible, then in a burst of speed tries to outrun its quarry. Once the cheetah closes in, it knocks the prey to the ground with its paw and suffocates the animal with a bite to the neck as they relax to start feeding on the prey.

 The cheetahs are not seen as easily as some other cats. Never numerous, cheetahs have become extinct in many areas, principally due to shrinking habitat, loss of species to prey upon, poaching for its precious skin that most religion value for its ornamental purposes, disease and a high rate of cub mortality are what keep them decline in number.

 Sharon

Kenya big cats safaris

www.soinafricasafaris.com