Page 33 - Foxes Safari Camps EBrochure

33

Getting to Know

Udzungwa National Park

From Mikumi National Park it is a very interesting option to visit Udzungwa Mountains

National Park for a days trekking through the mountainous rainforest, up to the Sanje
Waterfall with spectacular views over the rift valley below.

Udzungwa Mountains National Park is a remnant of the eastern arc rainforest that used
to stretch along the eastern rift. 165 million years ago Madagascar separated from the

mainland such that the forests there have similarities to the Udungwa rain-forest. While

6 million years ago the Udzungwa rainforest was isolated from the West African
rainforests so that there exists a hgh degree of endemism with 25% of the plants being

unique only to Udzungwa. Udzungwa boasts 10 species of primates, four of which are

endemic on to Udzungwa. In the last 8 years 2 completely new genera of mammal has
been identified in Udzungwa - the Giant Elephant Shrew also called ‘Sengis’, a foot long

creature more closely related to the Elephant, Aardvark and Hyrax to a European Shrew,

and the Kipunji Monkey, a baboon sized grey monkey. These new species join the pre
existing endemics such as the Rufous Winged Sunbird, the Udzungwa Partridge, the Red

HeHe Colobus Monkey and the Crested Mangaby.