Haller Park is a nature park in Bamburi, Mombasa, on the Kenyan coast. It is the transformation of a quarry wasteland into an ecological area. Haller Park holds a variety of plant and animal species which serve as a recreation spot for tourists and locals. Up to March 2007 it held the attraction of Owen and Mzee – the friendship of a hippopotamus and a tortoise.
In 1952, Cementia Holding searched for a site at the East African Coast to build a cement factory. Felix Mandl found a location 12 km (7.5 mi) north of Mombasa. Over the years cement production grew from 1.2 million tons to 25 million tons. The area soon became inhospitable arid wasteland with brackish water. The Bamburi Cement company decided to rehabilitate the quarries which seemed to be an impossible task. No plants had been able to establish themselves there. In 1959, Rene Haller was hired as manager of the garden department and given the task to beautify the area. In the 1970s Haller embarked on the reforestation project.
The vital task was to find pioneer plants which could survive the limestone desert. The plants had to survive the fierce tropical sun. After planting 26 plants only three of them survived: The damas, coconut palm, and the casuarina.
The casuarina was used initially to colonise the barren quarry floor. The casuarina is adapted to grow under severe conditions. Its branchlets look like pine needles and have a strong outer surface skin which protects the tree against loss of water. The casuarina could tolerate salty water which seemed perfect for the environment. However, due to the causarina's high tannin content its needles are too tough and bitter to be broken down by bacteria into humus for other plants to grow in.
Haller observed a red legged millipede (Mombasa trains) feeding on dry casuarina needles and introduced hundreds of millipedes into the quarry forest. The droppings of the millipede while feeding on the casuarina needles made it easier for bacteria to break down resulting in a rich layer of humus allowing other plant species to grow.
After five years the casuarina began self-seeding and colonizing the surrounding area. After 10 years the casuarina trees reached a height of 30 m. After 20 years some of the trees had a trunk circumference of 2.4 meters and the humus layer was 10 cm deep. Many of the trees began to collapse after 20 years. However they had accomplished their task and created a friendly environment conducive to new plants. The tree trunks were used for building timber and firewood.
More plants distributed by wind and animal established themselves in the quarry. The next tree species were carefully selected. The quarry slowly developed into a sanctuary for endangered species of plants. Over the years, over 180 species of indigenous trees and bushes have been planted. Modes of propagation of plants however vary, all in the aim of ensuring succession. Vervet monkeys, insects and some bird species have participated actively in succession within the ecosystem. They feed on fruits of the ficus trees, whose seeds must travel through an alimentary canal to completely break dormancy. If this step take place, the seeds have to be boiled to achieve the same effect. When animals excrete, the seeds are dispersed in their feces and those that hit fertile ground may germinate. This has helped achieve growth in parts of the forest that are not easily accessible by humans.
Rene Haller believed animals should play an equally important role in the forest ecosystem as plants. The introduction of the millipedes into the casuarina forest triggered a chain reaction of colonization by plants and animals. The creation of new habitats attracted birds, insects, and mammals. Some larger mammals were introduced while others moved in.
The mammals affected the environment. For example, the bushpigs which feed on roots, maggots, and insects helped to aerate the trees' root systems. The female giraffes feed on leaves and dispersed plants seeds while their faeces acted as fertiliser. The dung beetles also played a role by helping bring the manure underground where it is broken down by micro-organisms creating further plant life.
The elands were chosen for domestication at Haller Park because of their usefulness. The eland produces milk which is nutritious and has antibiotic properties which allows the milk stay fresh for months. Elands are also resistant to most livestock diseases and tame easily.
Rene Haller also introduced oryx to supplement the eland group. The oryx adapt to cope with poor grazing. They feed on dry, nutrient poor grasses. They have a great capacity to digest fibres. During droughts and desert conditions, the oryx can survive. They are independent of permanent water sources. The oryx were the perfect candidates for the condition of the park.
Water was an essential resource for the development of the plant life in the quarry. Water played an important role in the economic and ecological development of the project. The aquaculture system at Haller Park is commercially viable. The unit consists of the fish farm, crocodile area, and the biological water treatment area (Nile cabbage ponds and rice paddy fields). The Nile cabbage is a special plant which removes excess nutrients and impurities form the water body.
The fish farm is a part of Haller Park. In 1971, The fish farming project started alongside the reforestation project. Rene Haller created a fish tank system. The purpose of the tank system was to give the fish a chance to swim in a constant current. A tilapia farm was also created in 1980 because of the success of the fish tanks. It produced 30–35 tons per year.[ citation needed ]
Tsavo East National Park is a national park in Kenya with an area of 13,747 km2 (5,308 sq mi). It was established in April 1948 and covers a semi-arid area previously known as the Taru Desert. Together with the Tsavo West National Park, it forms an area of about 22,000 square kilometers. The Tsavo River flows west to east through the national park, which is located in the Taita-Taveta County of the former Coast Province.
The common eland, also known as the southern eland or eland antelope, is a large-sized savannah and plains antelope found in East and Southern Africa. An adult male is around 1.6 m (5.2 ft) tall at the shoulder and can weigh up to 942 kg (2,077 lb) with a typical range of 500–600 kg (1,100–1,300 lb), 340–445 kg (750–981 lb) for females).
The giant eland, also known as the Lord Derby's eland and greater eland, is an open-forest and savanna antelope. A species of the family Bovidae and genus Taurotragus, it was described in 1847 by John Edward Gray. The giant eland is the largest species of antelope, with a body length ranging from 220–290 cm (87–114 in). There are two subspecies: T. d. derbianus and T. d. gigas.
The scimitar oryx, also known as the scimitar-horned oryx and the Sahara oryx, is an Oryx species that was once widespread across North Africa. In 2000, it was declared extinct in the wild on the IUCN Red List. This particular oryx is adapted to harsh desert conditions and can survive for months or even years without drinking water. A grazing animal, it derives most of its daily moisture intake from plants.
Werribee Open Range Zoo is an African themed zoo in Werribee, about 32 kilometres (20 mi) south-west of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is part of the Zoological Parks and Gardens Board or Zoos Victoria, which also includes Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary. It is situated on approximately 225 hectares and is located on the Werribee River in Werribee Park, adjacent to the Werribee Park Mansion. It was originally agistment land to the Melbourne Zoo. Werribee Open Range Zoo is home to 360 animals of 40 species as of 2021.
Bale Mountains National Park (BMNP) is a national park in Ethiopia. The park encompasses an area of approximately 2,150 km2 (830 sq mi) in the Bale Mountains and Sanetti Plateau of the Ethiopian Highlands.
Ngomongo Villages is a well-known sustainable eco-cultural tourist village in Mombasa, Kenya, which is situated 4° south of the equator. It is situated in a former coral limestone quarry, and the aim of its rehabilitation was to convert it into a sustainable development, while turning it into hospitable land with utility to community, while eliminating its hazards and improving the ecosystem.
Shanghai Zoological Park, or commonly Shanghai Zoo in short, is the one of the two main zoos in Shanghai. It is located near the township of Hongqiao and is administratively in Changning District. Shanghai Zoo was formerly known as " Xijiao Park", which is still a common name used locally for the zoo.
The wildlife of Zimbabwe occurs foremost in remote or rugged terrain, in national parks and private wildlife ranches, in miombo woodlands and thorny acacia or kopje. The prominent wild fauna includes African buffalo, African bush elephant, black rhinoceros, southern giraffe, African leopard, lion, plains zebra, and several antelope species.
The wildlife of the Democratic Republic of the Congo includes its flora and fauna, comprising a large biodiversity in rainforests, seasonally flooded forests and grasslands.
The wildlife of Malawi is composed of the flora and fauna of the country. Malawi is a landlocked country in southeastern Africa, with Lake Malawi taking up about a third of the country's area. It has around 187 species of mammal, some 648 species of birds have been recorded in the country and around 500 species of fish, many of them endemic, are found in its lakes and rivers. About 20% of the country has been set aside as national parks and game and forest reserves.
The wildlife of Senegal consists of the flora and fauna of this nation in West Africa. Senegal has a long Atlantic coastline and a range of habitat types, with a corresponding diversity of plants and animals. Senegal has 188 species of mammals and 674 species of bird.
The wildlife of South Africa consists of the flora and fauna of this country in Southern Africa. The country has a range of different habitat types and an ecologically rich and diverse wildlife, vascular plants being particularly abundant, many of them endemic to the country. There are few forested areas, much savanna grassland, semi-arid Karoo vegetation and the fynbos of the Cape Floristic Region. Famed for its national parks and big game, 297 species of mammal have been recorded in South Africa, as well as 849 species of bird and over 20,000 species of vascular plants.
The wildlife of Zambia refers to the natural flora and fauna of Zambia. This article provides an overview, and outline of the main wildlife areas or regions, and compact lists of animals focusing on prevalence and distribution in the country rather than on taxonomy. More specialized articles on particular groups are linked from here.
The Ol Donyo Orok mountain, also called Namanga Hills, is situated in southern Kenya next to the Tanzanian border in the Namanga Division. The mountain has a stretched triangular shape, almost like an arrow pointing north. The short side faces the Tanzanian border. The highest peak is 2,548 metres (8,360 ft).
The Fauna of Africa, in its broader sense, is all the animals living in Africa and its surrounding seas and islands. The more characteristic African fauna is found in the Afro-tropical realm. Lying almost entirely within the tropics, and equally to north and south of the equator creates favorable conditions for rich wildlife. Africa is home to many of the world's most famous fauna in human culture such as lions‚ leopards, cheetahs‚ Spotted hyenas, African wild dog, African elephants, hippos, rhinos‚ Nile crocodile, Nile monitor, African rock python, Black mamba, Gaboon viper, Forest cobra, African spurred tortoises, African bullfrog, African civet, Honey badger, Meerkats, Banded mongoose, African clawless otters, Ground pangolins, Aardvark, Crested porcupines, Caracal, Serval, African wildcat, Black-backed jackal, Bat-eared foxs, Gorillas, Mandrills, Baboons, Chimpanzees, Vervet monkeys, Common warthogs, giraffes‚ African buffalo, Blue wildebeest, zebras‚ Thomson's gazelles, Impala, Kudus, East African oryx, Nyala, Waterbucks, Hartebeest, antelope, African fish eagles, Crowned eagles, White-backed vulture, African scops owl, Pygmy falcon, North African ostrich, Grey crowned crane, Saddle-billed stork, Marabou stork, Shoebill, African spoonbill, Black-headed heron, Greater flamingo, Namaqua sandgrouse, African penguins, and among many others.
Metro Richmond Zoo is a privately owned, for-profit zoo in Chesterfield County, Virginia. It is located in the central Virginia area, off of U.S. Route 360, about 20 miles southwest of Richmond. Metro Richmond Zoo encompasses about 70 acres (28 ha) and houses around 2,000 animals representing over 190 species, including reticulated giraffe, white rhinoceros, snow leopard, cheetah and Grant's zebra.
Igapó is a word used in Brazil for blackwater-flooded forests in the Amazon biome. These forests and similar swamp forests are seasonally inundated with freshwater. They typically occur along the lower reaches of rivers and around freshwater lakes. Freshwater swamp forests are found in a range of climate zones, from boreal through temperate and subtropical to tropical. In the Amazon Basin of Brazil, a seasonally whitewater-flooded forest is known as a várzea, which is similar to igapó in many regards; the key difference between the two habitats is in the type of water that floods the forest.
Tanzania contains some 20 percent of the species of Africa's large mammal population, found across its reserves, conservation areas, marine parks, and 17 national parks, spread over an area of more than 42,000 square kilometres (16,000 sq mi) and forming approximately 38 percent of the country's territory. Wildlife resources of Tanzania are described as "without parallel in Africa" and "the prime game viewing country". Serengeti National Park, the country's second largest national park area at 14,763 square kilometres (5,700 sq mi), is located in northern Tanzania and is famous for its extensive migratory herds of wildebeests and zebra while also having the reputation as one of the great natural wonders of the world. The Ngorongoro Conservation Area, established in 1959, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and inhabited by the Maasai people. Its Ngorongoro Crater is the largest intact caldera in the world.
Mapesu Private Game Reserve is a game reserve in Limpopo Province, South Africa. The reserve adjoins the Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage Site, with which it shares a 12.5 km Northern border. The main entrance gate to the reserve is located approximately 7 km east of Mapungubwe's entrance gate. It was established in 2014 and covers an area of over 7,200 hectares. The reserve protects various bird, mammal and tree species and is slated to become part of the Greater Mapungubwe Transfrontier Conservation Area in phase 2 as part of the proposed Limpopo Valley Game Reserve.
