Tsavo East National Park is one of the oldest
and largest parks in Kenya at 13,747 square
kilometres. Situated in a semi-arid area
previously known as the Taru Desert it opened
in April 1948, it is located near the town of Voi
in the Taita-Taveta District of Coast Province .
The park is divided into east and west sections
by the A109 road and a railway. Named for the
Tsavo River , which flows west to east through
the national park, it borders the Chyulu Hills
National Park , and the Mkomazi Game Reserve
in Tanzania.
Geography
The park can be accessed by three main gates,
from Voi through the Manyani gate, from
Mombasa through the Bachuma gate or from
Malindi through the Sala gate. There are also
several airstrips in the park that allow chartered
light planes. Inside the park, the Athi and Tsavo
rivers converge to form the Galana River . Most
of the park consists of semi-arid grasslands
and savanna. It is considered one of the world's
biodiversity strongholds, and its popularity is
mostly due to the vast amounts of diverse
wildlife that can be seen, including the famous
'big five' consisting of masai lion, black rhino ,
cape buffalo , elephant and leopard. The park is
also home to a great variety of bird life such as
the black kite , crowned crane, lovebird and the
sacred ibis .
The slightly larger Tsavo East is generally flat,
with dry plains across which the Galana River
flows. Other features include the Yatta Plateau
and Lugard Falls.
Tsavo West National Park is more mountainous
and wetter than its counterpart, with swamps,
Lake Jipe and the Mzima Springs . It is known
for birdlife and for its large mammals. It is also
home to a black rhino sanctuary.
SWAHILI
Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Tsavo Mashariki ni moja ya
hifadhi kubwa zaidi na kongwe nchini Kenya
iliyo tambaa eneo a eneo kilomita 11,747.
Ilifunguliwa mnamo Aprili 1948 , na iko karibu
na kijiji cha Voi katika Wilaya ya Taita Mkoa wa
pwani. Hifadhi hii imegawanywa katika sehemu
za mashariki na magharibi na barabara na reli
ya A109. Jina lake ambalo linatokana mto
Tsavo , ambao unatiririka kutoka magharibi hadi
mashariki kupitia hifadhi hii, iko mpakani mwa
mbuga ya kitaifa ya milima ya Chyulu, na
hifadhi ya wanyama ya Mkomazi nchini
Tanzania .
Jiografia
Mguga hii yaweza kuingiwa kupitia milango kuu
tatu, kutoka Voi kupitia mlango wa Manyani,
kutoka Mombasa kupitia mlango wa Bachuma
au kutoka Malindi kupitia mlango wa Sala. Pia
kuna nyanja kadhaa za ndege katika mbuga hii
zinazo ruhusu ndege ndogo kutua. Ndani ya
mbuga, mito Athi na Tsavo huungana na
kuunda Mto Galana. Sehemu kubwa ya mbuga
inajumuisha jangwa na savanna. Mbuga hii
inaaminika kuwa ni moja ya hifadhi kubwa
yenye viumbe mbalimbali na tofauti hai duniani,
na umaarufu wake zaidi hutokana na kiasi
kikubwa cha wanyamapori mbalimbali
wanaopatikana katika mbuga hii. Mbuga hii pia
ina pointi au sehemu kadhaa ambapo watu
waweza kupiga kambi na pointi kadhaa za
kijiografia zenya riba.
Sehemu kubwa ya Tsavo Mashariki kwa ujumla
ni tambarare kavu ambapo mto Galana
hutiririka. Baadhi ya vitu vingine muhimu kataka
mbuga hii ni Bie ya Yatta na mtiririko wa maji
wa Lugards. Baadhi ya wanyamapori katika
mbuga hii ya Tsavo Mashariki ni kama vile
vifaru weusi na kongoni aina ya hirola .
Hifadhi ya Taifa ya Tsavo Magharibi ina milima
zaidi na mabwawa kuliko ile ya mashariki na
pia ina chemi chemi za maji za Mzima na Ziwa
la Jipe. Inajulikana sana kwa kuwa na ndege
wengi na kwa mamalia wakubwa. Pia ni
nyumbani kwa vifaru weusi.
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