Nguru Mountains (7022)
Tanzania, Africa
Site overview
KBA status: confirmed
Global KBA criteria: A1e, B2
Year of last assessment: 2018
National site name: Nguru Mountains
Central coordinates: Latitude: -6.0860, Longitude: 37.5610
System: terrestrial
Elevation (m): 380 to 2400
Area of KBA (km2): 324.35403
Protected area coverage (%): 74.67
KBA classification: Global
Legacy site: Yes
Site details
Site description: The Nguru mountains are a spectacular collection of peaks, cliff-faces and forest-covered slopes, many far too steep for any cultivation. Although they are further inland than the Uluguru mountains (TZ068), 80 km to the south, they are sufficiently exposed to the wet south-east trade winds that local rainfall is high (annual mean 1,800 mm.). There are only three Forest Reserves of any size in the mountains: Nguru South Catchment Forest Reserve (CFR) (at 19,793 ha, one of the largest undisturbed blocks of montane forest remaining in Tanzania), Mkindo CFR (7,451 ha) and Kanga South CFR (6,664 ha). Kanga CFR is somewhat isolated to the north-east of the main block by the Mjonga river valley. The mountain range is separated from the Ulugurus by the flood-plain of the Mkata and Wami rivers, and from the Ukagurus (TZ067) 50 km to the south-west by extensive lower hills cloaked in Brachystegia woodland. To the north lie the Nguu mountains (TZ060) and to the north-west a series of hills descend to the dry Masai steppe. At the steep eastern foot of the mountains the coastal plain extends through rich woodland to the coast 120 km away.
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. Alliance for Zero Extinction (2018): site confirmed as an AZE site during the AZE project (2015-2018). Taxonomy, nomenclature and Red List category follow the IUCN 2016 Red List.
Additional biodiversity: See Box and Tables 2 and 3 for key species. A notable absence is Bathmocercus winifredae, which has not been recorded in the Ngurus, yet it occurs in both the Ukaguru (TZ067) and Uluguru mountains (TZ068). The Ukagurus are also the current known northern limit of Sheppardia lowei, but this too may occur in the Ngurus. The recent discovery of a population of Sheppardia gunningi in the Nguu mountains raises the possibility that species may occur at lower elevations in the Nguru mountains, which are occupied at higher altitudes by the closely related Sheppardia sharpei. Non-bird biodiversity: There is little information available for other animal groups, although an endemic chameleon Rhampholeon sp. nov. has been collected, and several of the Eastern Arc endemic reptiles and amphibians are recorded. Kanga is rich in endemic and rare plants while Nguru South contains over 40 endemic woody plants.
Delineation rationale: 2013-07-10 (BL Secretariat): following CEPF East Afromontane ecosystem profiling process, the reported IBA area of 32908 ha has been changed to 32000 ha (as measured in GIS from latest boundary polygon, rounded to nearest 10%).
Habitats
Land use: forestry | water management
| IUCN Habitat | Coverage % | Habitat detail |
|---|---|---|
| Forest | 98 | |
| Shrubland | 1 |
Threats
Summary of threats to biodiversity at KBA: The eastern, wetter base of the mountains has been settled for many years and the lowland includes large commercial sugar estates. There are several well-established missions in the area including an important hospital at Turiani. Encroachment and fire appear to be severe problems in the lowland forests, which have been heavily logged. Illegal pitsawing of the remaining large trees has been a particular problem in Nguru South. The forest in Kanga CFR appears to still be relatively undisturbed.
Additional information
References: Chamshama et al. (1990), Fjeldså and Rabøl (1995), Lovett and Wasser (1993), Pócs et al. (1990), Seddon et al. (1995).