Masai xeric grasslands and shrublands | |
---|---|
Ecology | |
Realm | Afrotropical |
Biome | Deserts and xeric shrublands |
Borders | Northern Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets and Somali Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets |
Geography | |
Area | 101,000 km2 (39,000 sq mi) |
Countries | Kenya and Ethiopia |
Conservation | |
Conservation status | vulnerable |
The Masai xeric grasslands and shrublands is a Desert and xeric shrubland ecoregion in Kenya and Ethiopia. It includes the lowlands around Lake Turkana and the Chalbi Desert east of the lake. [1]
The ecoregion is surrounded by Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets – the Northern Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets to the south and west, and the Somali Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets to the north and east. [2]
Protected areas include Lake Turkana National Parks in Kenya.
The Global 200 is the list of ecoregions identified by WWF, the global conservation organization, as priorities for conservation. According to WWF, an ecoregion is defined as a "relatively large unit of land or water containing a characteristic set of natural communities that share a large majority of their species dynamics, and environmental conditions". So, for example, based on their levels of endemism, Madagascar gets multiple listings, ancient Lake Baikal gets one, and the North American Great Lakes get none.
Chelbi Wildlife Reserve is a protected area in Ethiopia's Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples' Region.
The Mbulu Highlands is a plateau in north-central Tanzania.
Northern Zanzibar–Inhambane coastal forest mosaic, also known as the Northern Swahili coastal forests and woodlands, is a tropical moist broadleaf forest ecoregion of coastal East Africa. The ecoregion includes a variety of habitats, including forest, savanna and swamps.
The Usangu Plain is a lowland in south-central Tanzania. It is named for the Sangu people.
The Southern Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets is a tropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in Tanzania and Kenya. It includes portions of Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area, which are designated World Heritage Sites and biosphere reserves for their outstanding wildlife and landscapes. It is one of three Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets ecoregions in eastern Africa.
The Northern Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets are a tropical grasslands, savannas and shrublands ecoregion in eastern Africa. The ecoregion is mostly located in Kenya, extending north into southeastern South Sudan, northeastern Uganda and southwestern Ethiopia and south into Tanzania along the Kenya-Tanzania border.
The Southern Eastern Rift is a freshwater ecoregion in Kenya and Tanzania.
The Somali Acacia–Commiphora bushlands and thickets is a semi-arid tropical grasslands, savannas, and shrublands ecoregion in the Horn of Africa. It is home to diverse communities of plants and animals, including several endemic species.
Borena National Park is a national park in southern Ethiopia. The national park was established in 2017, and is Ethiopia's largest.