The Aberdare ranges, 20 km north of Nairobi City have the 3rd highest peak of mountain tops located in Kenya, reaching a peak of just over 4000m. The Aberdares Forest Reserve (103,300 ha) occupies the lower slopes, in three main blocks that almost surround the Park, with Kipipiri Forest Reserve (5,100 ha) tacked on to the west. The southern boundary of the Aberdares Forest Reserve adjoins the Kikuyu Escarpment Forest. The Aberdares are an extremely important water catchment for the Tana River system, for the northern Ewaso Nyiro River and for Lake Naivasha, and provide much of the water supply for Nairobi and adjoining districts.
With a perimeter of 566 km, the Aberdare Ranges vary in attitude from 2000 meters on the forest boundary on the eastside and 4,001 meters towards the northern edge at the peak of Oldonyo Lesatima
Wildlife in the Area
Animals
The Aberdares hold 52 of Kenya’s 67 Afro tropical Highlands’ species. The rare species include the Bongo (Tragelaphus euryceros) estimated at over 65 individuals in the forest, Leopard (Panthera pardus), Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis), African Elephant (Loxodonta africana) (some 1,500 are resident:) and Giant Forest Hog (Hylochoerus meinertzhageni) and a population of Lions (Panthera leo), the African Golden Cat (Felis aurata), a rare species and Spotted Hyena (Crocuta Crocuta).
Mammals, Insects, Reptiles and Amphibians
Endemic small mammals include Aberdare Mole-shrew (Surdisorex norae) and Aberdare Mole rat (Tachyoryctes audax). The Montane viper (Vipera hindii) occurs only here and on Mt Kenya, and the Aberdares hold several amphibians that are endemic to the central Kenyan highlands, including Hyperolius montanus, Hyperolius cystocandieans, Rana wittei and Phrynobatrachus kinangopensis. The butterfly (Neptis kikuyuensis) is endemic to forests and on the Kikuyu Escarpment, and Charaxes nandina, endemic to central Kenya, has also been recorded.
Birds
The Range has six of the eight restricted range species in the Kenyan Mountains Endemic Bird Area. Over 200 species are recorded in all, including African Green Ibis, African Cuckoo Hawk, Mountain Buzzard, Jackson’s and Moorland Francolins, Hartlaub’s Turaco and Cape Eagle-Owl. The Scarlet-tufted Malachite Sunbird is found on the high peaks, foraging largely on lobelias, while other montane sunbirds (including Tacazze, Golden-winged, Malachite and Eastern Double-collared) are common at slightly lower altitudes. The restricted-range Aberdare Cisticola appears to be locally common in tussock moorland. Other vulnerable bird species found in the forest include Sharpe’s Longclaw, Abbott’s Starling, Aberdare Cisticola, Jackson’s Francolin, Hunter’s Cisticola, and Striped Flufftail.
Notable plants include the Aberdare endemics Lobelia deckenii sattimae and Helichrysum gloria-dei, and the Aberdare/Mt Kenya endemics Lobelia bambuseti, Senecio keniensis, Senecio johnstonii battiscombei var. battiscombei and Senecio keniodendron. The Aberdares are rich in the genus Alchemilla, including A. hageniae (endemic), A. argyrophylla (also on Mt Kenya), A. cyclophylla (also on Mt Kenya) and the rare A. microbetula (also on Mt. Elgon).