Mau Narok - Molo grasslands (6442)
Kenya, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: B2
Year of last assessment: 2011
National site name: Mau Narok - Molo grasslands
Central coordinates: Latitude: -0.6120, Longitude: 35.9230
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 2700 to 3100
Area of KBA (km2): 715.71052
Protected area coverage (%): 1.25
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: An extensive area of montane grassland along the crest of the Mau Escarpment, which forms the western wall of the central Rift Valley in Kenya. This high, open plateau runs for c.80 km south-east to north-west, and is bounded on each side (and partially interrupted) by the forests of the Mau forest complex (IBA KE051). Rainfall is c.1,000 mm/year, and the original vegetation is short grassland, with some heather and scrub on the ridges where the soil is deeper. The area has high potential for cultivated agriculture, and has gradually been settled and cultivated since the 1950s; it is now heavily populated, with a landscape severely modified by cultivation. Cereals are the major crops, and much grassland has been converted by ploughing and re-seeding with exotic species to provide better grazing for sheep.
Rationale for qualifying as KBA: This site qualifies as a Key Biodiversity Area of international significance that meets the thresholds for at least one criterion described in the Global Standard for the Identification of KBAs. KBA identified in the process of compiling the CEPF Ecosystem Profile of the East Afromontane Hotspot. Species taxonomy and threat category was based on IUCN Red List 2010-4. The site holds a significant population of the following plant species which, although not yet Red-List-assessed at the global level, are thought likely to be categorised as globally threatened once assessed (thus meeting the KBA Vulnerability criterion), based on existing regional or national Red List assessments (species also considered as site-endemic are tagged with Irr1 [KBA Irreplaceability 1 criterion]): Ceropegia keniensis, Euphorbia crotonoides.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Table 2 for key species. Macronyx sharpei and Cisticola aberdare are both known to occur, but their current status and distribution within the IBA are unknown. Falco naumanni is a formerly regular Palearctic passage migrant, and Gallinago media is an uncommon Palearctic winter visitor. The current status of Euplectes jacksoni is unknown. The restricted-range Francolinus jacksoni was formerly common at forest margins, and Cisticola hunteri is likely to be common in scrubby areas. A bird list was compiled in the 1960s, but there is little recent information on the birds of this area. The present-day avifauna is likely to be similar to that of the Kinangop Plateau (IBA KE004) on the opposite side of the Rift Valley. Regionally threatened species include Neotis denhami (probably extirpated) and Podiceps cristatus (status unknown; may still breed on upland dams). Non-bird biodiversity: The fauna and flora of these grasslands has been little studied. A number of plant, insect, amphibian and reptile species that are confined to highland grassland probably occur. There are records of two near-endemic frogs, Hyperolius montanus and Rana wittei. Hyperolius montanus was considered secure in 1980, but it is a species of montane grassland and may now be under threat. The snake Bitis worthingtonii, endemic to the central Kenyan Rift Valley above 1,500 m, probably occurs.
Delineation rationale: 2013-07-10 (BL Secretariat): following CEPF East Afromontane ecosystem profiling process, the reported IBA area of 40000 ha has been changed to 72000 ha (as measured in GIS from latest boundary polygon, rounded to nearest 10%).
Habitats
Land use: agriculture
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Grassland | 100 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: Kenya’s unique montane grasslands have no formal protection. This IBA faces similar threats to those on the Kinangop Plateau (IBA KE004), with grassland habitat diminishing and fragmenting rapidly as agriculture spreads. A survey is urgently needed to assess its status and that of the threatened birds.
| Threat level 1 | Threat level 2 | Threat level 3 | Timing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Annual & perennial non-timber crops | Small-holder farming | Ongoing |
| Agriculture & aquaculture | Livestock farming & ranching | Nomadic grazing | Ongoing |
| Biological resource use | Gathering terrestrial plants | Intentional use (species being assessed is the target) | Ongoing |
| Pollution | Agricultural & forestry effluents | Soil erosion, sedimentation | Ongoing |
| Residential & commercial development | Housing & urban areas | Only in the future | |
| Transportation & service corridors | Roads & railroads | Only in the future | |
| Human intrusions & disturbance | Work & other activities | Ongoing |
Additional information
References: Sessions (1966).