The African savannah
The savannah is the most emblematic plant environment of the country. A true kingdom of grass, the savannahs are among the most remarkable landscapes on the planet. They are transitional zones between the forest and the desert, perennial grasslands as far as the eye can see, dotted with trees and shrubs, sometimes grouped in forest patches, or in the form of tree strips along the waterways.
The distribution and abundance of rainfall during the year explain the presence of these savannas. Generally speaking, they are found in regions where 500 mm to 1,500 mm of rain falls each year and where wet seasons alternate with dry periods. The colors of the savannahs thus change from green to yellow to scorched brown. The length of the dry season characterizes the nature of the vegetation. In the north and east of the country, where rainfall is rare, the savannah takes on the appearance of desert or semi-desert steppe, which can be described as bush: only a few trees of 3 m to 5 m (generally acacias and commiphoras) stand in the middle of thick thorny bushes. In the south, especially in the Tsavo region, the vegetation becomes denser and baobabs are very frequent.
Central and southern Kenya are characterized by a savannah composed of medium height grasses (80 cm) and umbrella acacias. Sometimes the grass, called "elephant grass", can reach several meters in height. Where a river meanders through the savanna, its banks are covered with gallery forest, including large yellow-trunked acacia trees, locally known as fever trees. In the more humid regions, the savannah is made up of taller, more numerous and more varied trees.
One can also see candelabra spurges (in Nakuru, for example) or the amazing sausage trees (especially near waterholes). Most tourists who visit Kenya do so during the dry season, so they don't have the chance to drive through the bright green savannah covered with colorful and fragrant flowers. Enjoying the shoulder seasons, these bloom just after the main rains or at the very beginning of the dry season.
The acacia, emblematic tree of the savannah
Who doesn't have in mind the lived or fantasized image of the glowing sun setting behind a solitary acacia tree in the immensity of the African savannah? A cliché that every self-respecting traveler must bring back in his souvenir photos. The acacia trees are spaced out from each other and are shaped like umbrellas. This characteristic shape is due to the large herbivores (mainly giraffes) that continuously graze the branches within their reach.
These trees are perfectly adapted to the drought, their roots form a particularly extensive network and sink very deep into the ground (up to 45 m), in order to fetch water where it is available. Acacias lose their leaves when atmospheric conditions become particularly unfavorable: they are able to resist temperatures of 40°C, beyond which they fall. There is another species of acacia, larger, with a yellow trunk, which grows along rivers: the Yellow Fever Tree (Acacia Xanthophloea).
Forests to preserve
A rainforest remains in Kakamega, near Lake Victoria. This is actually a continuation of the huge equatorial forest that stretches from the West African coast to Uganda. The rainforest requires an average annual temperature of 25°C and at least 1,500 mm of rainfall per year. It is characterized by an extremely varied flora. The tree tops form a real cover that barely lets the sunlight in. Each tree is covered with a multitude of epiphytes (orchids, ferns...) and lianas.
On the high plateaus, on each side of the collapse ditch and on the slopes of the mountains, the amount of humidity coming from rainfall and fog has also allowed the development of very characteristic forests (Aberderes, Mau, Mount Kenya...). They are mainly found in the highlands between 1,500 m and 3,000 m altitude. These forests are quite exceptional and very impressive places.
Further north, 560 km from Nairobi, a unique and spectacular mountainous forest island emerges in the middle of the desert. It is Mount Marsabit. It is a permanent source of water for the region. Here, as in all areas where water is becoming scarce, social peace, the feeding and watering of livestock, the supply of firewood, and the provision of water for the population depend directly on the preservation and proper functioning of these forest ecosystems.
Unfortunately, these forests, essential to human and animal life, but also in terms of biodiversity and contribution to carbon sequestration, are drastically decreasing and reforestation efforts are struggling to compensate for years of intensive deforestation.
A well represented fauna
Almost all the species expected in Africa live in Kenya in impressive numbers: lions, leopards, cheetahs, elephants, buffaloes, monkeys, giraffes, zebras, crocodiles, antelopes, hippos, and more than 1,000 species of birds listed, to name a few. In short, Kenya lacks only the great apes (bonobos, gorillas and chimpanzees) to have a complete panoply of the abundant African fauna living in its natural environment. In the savannah, the large family of herbivores is particularly well represented (antelopes, wildebeest, giraffes, zebras, rhinoceroses, buffaloes, elephants...). All these species live in harmony in their natural environment. And inevitably, they are accompanied by their share of predatory carnivorous species that fascinate by their number and diversity.
In order to survive, some have developed defense mechanisms, others techniques to bypass them. The cheetah, for example, the fastest terrestrial animal, relies on dizzying speeds, which can reach 110 km/h over short distances. This tall, slender cat lives on vast plains and often stands on small promontories (dead trees, termite mounds) to observe its surroundings. The cheetah does not hunt by stalking, but approaches its prey slowly and then pursues it at full speed for a maximum distance of 500 m. Exhausted by its race, it is regularly obliged to abandon its prey to lions and hyenas. This fierce competition for food is one of the reasons for the progressive disappearance of these animals.
The lions, well... especially the lionesses, hunt most often alone, using diversionary tactics and generally attacking the weakest animals in a herd. The crocodile, on the other hand, is a formidable predator along rivers and streams, attacking all types of prey (except hippos), especially wildebeest and zebra during the great migration. On land, it is surprisingly fast. Generally, it drowns its prey by holding it under water with its powerful jaws, then leaves the corpse to rest for several days under a trunk or a rock, protected from scavengers.
1,001 bird names
The fauna also includes many species of birds such as the ostrich, the largest bird on the planet which does not fly, but can run at speeds of 50 km/hr over very long distances; the yellow-billed hornbill, a bird with brown or dark gray plumage spotted with white, easily recognizable by its large curved orange-yellow beak, which lives in rather humid and scrubby areas; the crowned crane; the sacred ibis; the marabou, a scavenger and a formidable predator of chicks, large insects and baby crocodiles; the metallic blackbird, a superb bird, whose small round bright yellow eyes stand out against its black head; several species of eagles and vultures. Just to mention a few.
Bird lovers will not be disappointed. With more than 1,100 recorded species (more than 10% of the world's birds), Kenya is one of Africa's most bird-rich countries. From the Samburu savannah to the primary rainforest of Kakamega, from the foothills of Mount Kenya to the lakes of Naivasha or Oloiden, and from the interconnected lakes of the Great Rift Valley (Bogoria, Nakuru, Elementaita - a World Heritage Site and the most important feeding ground for Lesser Flamingos on the planet), there is plenty of opportunity to see an incredible variety of birds.
National parks, national reserves and conservancies
All this wildlife can be seen in its natural habitat. Kenya's parks and reserves are among the most renowned in Africa. The country is home to over 26 parks, 34 reserves and 5 sanctuaries. Nature is well represented. Although they are not as large as those in Tanzania, Namibia or Botswana, they are home to the greatest variety of animals and birds. The national parks are areas of absolute protection of fauna and flora, placed under the responsibility of the central government which finances them, the national reserves benefit from a regional financing while keeping the same objectives and the same rules. Parks and reserves are guarded by rangers who are under the responsibility of the Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS). There are also conservancies (Ol Pejeta, Lewa, Mara Naboisho, Selenkay, Mount Kenya Wildlife, OlKinyei,...), areas of protection where wild animals, domestic animals and local communities live together. These sanctuaries enjoy the same wildlife (animals have no borders) and landscapes just as sumptuous as the reserves and national parks. A safari in a conservancy is the promise of a unique experience, with respect for the people and animals that live in these protected wild lands.
Man, the threat to wildlife
Kenya has the incredible fact that it gathers on its territory all the animals of the savannah, including the "Big Five", which the traveler on safari will have the chance to discover. However, the main threat to all these wild species remains man. Although Kenya has set an example in the fight against poaching and it is no longer the ivory hunters who are a cause for concern, the enemy has not been vanquished. Subsistence poaching is still going on (the Covid-19 pandemic has been an aggravating factor) and wild animals are coming into conflict with the growing human population. Rivalry for access to natural resources, particularly land and water, is being reinforced by climate change and the resulting repeated droughts.
