Udzungwa Mountain Range (22510)
Tanzania, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e
Year of last assessment: 2024
National site name: Udzungwa Mountain Range
Central coordinates: Latitude: -8.0311, Longitude: 36.2066
System: terrestrial, freshwater
Area of KBA (km2): 5421.02136
Protected area coverage (%): 94.94
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Udzungwa mountains are the south-western block of a chain of ancient mountains stretching from south-central to north-east Tanzania and the extreme south of Kenya. Much of the upper plateau has been cleared of forest and is now degraded grassland or farmland. This site includes all of the major forest areas outside of the National Park. The most important forest blocks for bird conservation are Udzungwa Scarp (20,220 ha), Kisinga-Rugaro (14,164 ha) and West Kilombero Forest Reserves (now c.55,000 ha, following the establishment of Udzungwa National Park). The highest peak, Luhombero at 2,576 m, is within the Udzungwa National Park. Nyumbenitu (2,284 m) is the next-highest peak in the northern highland block while Nyamerenge (at 2,284 m) dominates the high ground immediately to the east of Iringa. These two areas are separated by the Lukosi river valley which runs north to join the Ruaha. Sawala (2,072 m) is the highest point in the south of the range while Selegu (2,454 m) dominates the rather isolated forest block on Image mountain, where much timber was logged in the 1970s and 1980s and most of what is left is second-growth thickets.South-west of the Udzungwa range lie the escarpment forests of the Kipengeres and remaining patches around Njombe. To the north, the Uvidundas are virtually continuous with the Udzungwas, separated only by the steep-sided valley of the Ruaha river. The highland plateau in the Udzungwa mountains slopes gently to the west, grading through stunted miombo woodland and grassland to the dry country around Iringa which is an extension of the Somali–Masai Acacia–Commiphora bushland habitat.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site contains the entire known populations of four amphibians (Hyperolius kihangensis, Nectophrynoides poyntoni, Nectophrynoides wendyae, and Phlyctimantis keithae), 3 mammals (Congosorex phillipsorum, Myosorex kihaulei, and Piliocolobus gordonorum), and two reptiles (Kinyongia magomberae and Trioceros laterispinis). An additional 14 amphibians, 25 birds, six mammals, and 46 plants meet legacy KBA criteria and are in need of reassessment.
Manageability of the site: Almost the entire KBA is covered by a network of Nature and Forest Reserves.
Delineation rationale: Site was identified as a KBA in 2001 and as an AZE during the 2015-2018 AZE project. A delineation rationale is not available.
Habitats
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 81 | |
| Artificial - Terrestrial | 2 | |
| Shrubland | 15 |