Flora and Fauna

Kasigau is beautiful and very diverse with plants and animals, all living in the many ecological niches of the mountain from which the area takes its name. There are two tame cats at the banda, and almost every evening a large troop of baboon on the rocks up and behind us. Ken likes to sit up there and wait for them to come by, for a close up view. They are probably so interesting because they seem so human. There is an abundance of small creatures, of which we have not one good photo: rock hyrax squirrel and fox like creatures, mongoose, and very many beautiful birds. Some very large turtles have crawled by; many lizards large and small scurry around; we have seen some very quick snakes; and there are more insects (ants of all sizes, scorpions, cockroaches, spiders, huge grasshoppers, dragon flies, praying mantis) than most of us are used to. And of course the various noisy monkeys that live close by.

There are huge baobab trees, many different thorny trees and shrubs, cactus, delicate and colorful flowers, and quite a few fruit trees. Much of the vegetation looks like Arizona with cactus, acacia trees, and many thorny bushes. The “shamba” (farms) grow primarily maize and also pumpkins and melon. There are a great many mystery fruits, flowers, and vegetables, and a few known favorites. All in all with the many shades of green, the red dirt, the blue sky and white clouds, Kasigau is a very beautiful and interesting place when it comes to plants and animals.

We have been on game drive and seen many large animals, which I will try to post separately.

Kris