What is the significance of Mount Kenya?
What is the significance of Mount Kenya?
Mount Kenya is the main water catchment area for two large rivers in Kenya; the Tana, the largest river in Kenya, and the Ewaso Nyiro North. The Mount Kenya ecosystem provides water directly for over 2 million people.
Do people live on Mount Kenya?
According to custom, Kikuyu homes are built with their doorways facing the mountain. Other communities who live around the mountain, the Meru and Embu tribes, also revere Mount Kenya. Rituals are carried out in the mountain’s sacred groves and holy men make pilgrimages up the mountain.
What lives on Mount Kenya?
Key features. Include Elephants, tree hyrax, white tailed mongoose, suni, black fronted duiker, mole rat, bushbucks, water buck and Elands. Animals rarely seen include leopard, bongo, giant forest hog .
Who discovered Mt Kenya?
Named after Dr Krapf, who was the first European to see the mountain in 1849. Named after A. R. Barlow, who ascended to the peaks three times and made a collection of photographs of the mountain. Named after Cesar Ollier, a guide on Mackinder’s expedition in 1899.
What is unique about Mt Kenya?
At 5,199 m, Mount Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa and is an ancient extinct volcano. There are 12 remnant glaciers on the mountain, all receding rapidly, and four secondary peaks that sit at the head of the U-shaped glacial valleys.
Does Mount Kenya have snow?
Snow and rain are common from March to December, but especially in the two wet seasons.
When did Mount Kenya last erupt?
2.6 million years ago
Mount Kenya is an extinct volcano which originally rose an estimated 3 million years ago and last erupted an estimated 2.6 million years ago.
Is Mount Kenya still active?
At 5,199 m, Mount Kenya is the second highest peak in Africa. It is an ancient extinct volcano, which during its period of activity (3.1-2.6 million years ago) is thought to have risen to 6,500 m.
What is Kenya’s nickname?
Situated on the equator on Africa’s east coast, Kenya has been described as “the cradle of humanity”.