MWALUGANJE ELEPHANT SANCTUARY

Gossips first, have you heard of Arawale, Dodori, Boni and Tana River Primate National Reserves…oh yeah! in Kenya. Arawale National Reserve is home to the rare Hunter’s antelope also known as Hunter’s hartebeest, a species only found north of Tana River all the way up to the Somali border. Arawale is a 553sq km bush land created in 1973. Dodori National Reserve, named after a river that enters Indian Ocean at Dodori Creek, is home to the rare Dugong. Boni National Reserve covers an area of 1339 sq km and borders Somalia. Tana River Primate National Reserve is home to two endangered primate species, the crested mangabey and the red colobus. The oryx, buffalo, water birds, crocodiles, hippos, the common and grevy’s zebra, lesser kudu, and maasai and reticulated giraffe are common there. 

Dodori and Boni have an undeveloped road systems, while all four of them are in locales where bandit activity is possible. This is where advice from local tour operators and Kenya Police is crucial before visiting. However, as Kenya Defense Force dusts off al shabaab menace in Somalia, the situation is expected to get better. Source: Travel Discover Kenya

 Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary

An Elephant at the sanctuary

43 Kilometers south of Mombasa, In the Shimba Hills Forest lies Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary. It has an area of 36 sq km. Managed by the local council of Mwaluganje, the sanctuary was once a farm constantly frequented by elephants. This resulted to crop destruction until the one day the council decided to turn it into a sanctuary in 1993. It and the Shimba Hills National Reserve make the Shimba Hills ecosystem. 

Mwaluganje Elephant Sanctuary

The ecosystem is characterized by  winding water shades, rolling hills, steep ranges, a forest cover of about 23,736 ha, including Shimba forest, Mkongani north and west and Mwaluganje. Mwaluganje today provides a perfect uninterrupted viewing of Elephants with occasional spotting of Leopards. Elephants are the main attractions at the sanctuary and are as many as over 150 residing there. It is a historical bull area where independent elephant bulls grow. Their families live in the neighboring Shimba Hills and Mwalugaje forests.  At the sanctuary’s entrance is a local factory that makes paper from elephant dung.