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AMBOSELI
NATIONAL PARK
AMBOSELI NATIONAL PARK
lies below the most famous symbol of Africa - Mount Kilimanjaro 5,895m
(19,340 ft) the highest mountain in Africa and the tallest free standing
mountain in the world. The surrounding area is flat, covered by savannah
and acacia scrub and the animals stand in silhouette against this towering
majestic giant, its snow-clad peak floating in the stark blue African sky.
A large part of the park consists of the alluvial dried-up bed of the
seasonal Lake Amboseli, which in the rainy season can transform into a
shallow flood whilst the dry season brings strange mirages above the
lake's dry shimmering surface. Towards the centre of the park are a series
of swamps, fed by the underground rivers running off the mountain. It is
here, closer to the water, that the concentration of wildlife intensifies,
from the ever present ponderous herds of elephant to abundant birdlife.
This includes a wide variety of waterbirds such as grey heron, saddle bill
stork, Egyptian goose as well as long-toed lapwing., yellow throated sand
grouse and up to 6 species of vulture. The rare Madagascar Squacco Heron
is a frequent visitor. Other game frequently seen include buffalo, zebra,
wildebeest, gazelle, Maasai giraffe, lion and cheetah. |
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