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Eastern Arc Mountains Forests of Tanzania
UDZUNGWA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL PARK
Name of site: Udzungwa Mountains
Designation: National Park
Gazette notification: The National Park was established from the existing forest reserves of Mwanihana,
Nyanganje, Iwonde and parts of Matundu and West Kilombero Scarp in accordance with
the National Parks Ordinance (Cap 412)
Date of notification: 20 March 1992 (Government Notice No. 39)
Land ownership: Tanzania National Parks
Area (ha): 199,000 ha
Location
Centre point: 3 0 41’E and 7 0 48’S
Districts: 80% of the National Park lies in Kilolo District and 20% in Kilombero District.
Mountain Block: Udzungwa
Brief description
Geography: The National Park is dominated by Mwanihana and Luhemero Peaks and the escarpments that
form its western boundary, and the Ruaha River in the north. The area, together with the
adjacent Kilombero Nature Reserve, serves as a major water catchment for the region. The
Ruaha supplies the hydroelectric dam at Kidatu and that at Kihansi also depends heavily on
the park’s rivers.
Settlements: There are 31 villages, 26 in the east and 5 in the west. The population in the east is estimated
to be 130,086, based on a 2002 census, and that in the west is 9,262.
Altitudinal range: 200 m to 2,580 m (Luhemero Peak)
Climate: Most of the annual rainfall is received from November to May, which comprises the short rains
of October – December and the longer rains of March - May. The dry season is from
September to October. There is a pronounced rain shadow effect, with an annual rainfall of
about 2,000 mm in the south-east of the park, which is often covered by mist, and about 600
mm in the north-west. The latter is responsible for the dry deciduous woodland dominated by
Commiphora spp. and Acacia sp. Temperature reaches a maximum in October (31 0 C) and
minimum in July (21 0 C).
Vegetation: Udzungwa Mountains National Park has distinctive natural vegetation zones, which range from
lowland forest below 200 m to alpine grassland at 2,500 m. Within the unique tropical forest
are the lower montane forest, upper montane forest, and bamboo forest. Standing out
conspicuously from the escarpment forest are tall yellowish-white trunked trees (Sterculia
appendiculata), with an umbrella of green foliage at the top.
Species diversity: The Udzungwa Mountains National Park contains the greatest altitudinal span of habitats of
any of the sites in the Eastern Arc Mountains. As such it is likely to support the highest
species diversity of all the sites, but detailed comparative data are not available.
Summary of biodiversity values:
Taxonomic
group
No. species* No. endemic
species
No. threatened
endemic/ near- No. endemic
endemic species spp.
OUV - Site endemic species
No. threatened
endemic species
Flora not compiled not compiled not compiled 17 not compiled
Amphibians not compiled 5 9 0 0
Reptiles not compiled 6 3 3 0
Birds > 250 6 9 0 0
Mammals not compiled 4 8 0 0
Vertebrates not compiled 21 29 3 0
Ministry of Natural Resources and Tourism 54