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'{{Short description|National park in Kenya}} {{EngvarB|date=June 2014}} {{Use dmy dates|date=June 2014}} {{Infobox Protected area | name = Tsavo East National Park | iucn_category = II | map = Tsavo national parks | relief = 1 | map_caption = Location of Tsavo National Parks | location = [[Kenya]] | nearest_city = | coordinates = {{coords|2|46|43|S|38|46|18|E|display=inline, title}} | area_km2 = 13747 | established = 1948 | visitation_num = | visitation_year = | governing_body = [[Kenya Wildlife Service]] }} [[Image:ElephantsInTsavo.jpg|thumb|Elephants crossing road in Tsavo East]] [[Image:TsavoGate67.jpg|thumb|The Bachuma Gate entrance to Tsavo National Park]] '''Tsavo East National Park''' is one of the oldest and largest parks in [[Kenya]] at 13,747 square kilometres. Alongside Tsavo west, they form an area larger than Wales and is home to one of the greatest wildlife diversity and untouched wilderness remaining on earth. Situated in a semi-arid area previously known as the Taru Desert it opened in April 1948, and is located near the town of [[Voi]] in the [[Taita-Taveta County]] of the former [[Coast Province]]. The park is divided into east and [[Tsavo West National Park|west]] sections by the [[A109 road (Kenya)|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]]. Tsavo was the basis of the book ‘the man eaters of Tsavo’(1907) by lieutenant colonel John Henry Patterson,a semi autobiographical about his encounters with the man eating lions that inspired the Hollywood classic, the ghost and the darkness. ==Geography== Inside Tsavo East National Park, the Athi and Tsavo rivers converge to form the [[Athi-Galana-Sabaki River|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 [[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]], [[Balearica|crowned crane]], [[lovebird]] and the [[sacred ibis]]. Tsavo East National Park is generally flat, with dry plains across which the [[Galana River]] flows. Other features include the [[Yatta Plateau]] and [[Frederick Lugard, 1st Baron Lugard|Lugard Falls]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Tsavo East & West - Africa and Beyond|url=http://www.africaandbeyond.co.uk/africa-holidays/kenya/tsavo-east-and-west|website=www.africaandbeyond.co.uk|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Tsavo National Parks|url=https://www.tsavopark.com/|website=Tsavo Park}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Visit Africa: Tsavo East National Park|url=http://visitafrica.site/visit-tsavo-east-national-park.html|website=visitafrica.site|language=en-GB|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> [[Tsavo West National Park]] is more mountainous and wetter, 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.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Wildlife Parks|url=https://spsafaritours.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=179&Itemid=510|website=spsafaritours.com|access-date=2020-05-24}}</ref> ==Archaeology and history== Although a few [[Early Stone Age]] and [[Middle Stone Age]] archaeological sites are recorded from ground surface finds in Tsavo, there is much evidence for thriving [[Late Stone Age]] economy from 6,000 to 1,300 years ago. Research has shown that Late Stone Age archaeological sites are found close to the [[Galana River]] in high numbers. The inhabitants of these sites hunted wild animals, fished and kept domesticated animals. Because of the sparse availability of water away from the Galana River, human settlement in Tsavo focused on the riparian areas and in rock shelters as one moves west.<ref>Wright, David (2005) Environment, Chronology and Resource Exploitation of the Pastoral Neolithic in Tsavo, Kenya. PhD Dissertation. Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago.</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Wright|first=David K.|date=2007-04-01|title=Tethered mobility and riparian resource exploitation among Neolithic hunters and herders in the Galana River basin, Kenyan coastal lowlands|journal=Environmental Archaeology|volume=12|issue=1|pages=25–47|doi=10.1179/174963107x172732|s2cid=140626061|issn=1461-4103}}</ref> [[Swahili people|Swahili]] merchants traded with the inhabitants of Tsavo for ivory, catskins, and probably slaves as early as 700 AD (and probably earlier). There is no evidence for direct Swahili "colonization" of Tsavo. Instead, trade was probably accomplished by moving goods to and from the Swahili Coast via extended kin-networks. Trade goods such as cowry shells and beads have been recovered from archaeological sites dating to the early Swahili period.<ref>Wright, David (2005). New perspectives on early regional interaction networks in East Africa: A view from Tsavo National Park, Kenya. African Archaeological Review 22(3): DOI: 10.1007/s10437-005-8041-7</ref> 19th century British and German explorers document people we now refer to as [[Orma people|Orma]] and Watha during their travels through the "nyika" ("bush" or "hinterland") and generally viewed them as hostile toward their interests. Beginning in the late 19th/early 20th century, the British began a concerted effort to colonise the interior of Kenya and built a railway through Tsavo in 1898. Two [[Tsavo Man-Eaters|"man-eating lions"]] terrorised the construction crews led by [[John Henry Patterson (author)|Lt. Col Patterson]] who eventually shot the pair not before they had killed one hundred and thirty five Indians and local workers. The railway was eventually completed through to [[Kisumu]] on [[Lake Victoria]]. Tsavo remained the homeland for Orma pastoralists and Watha hunter-gatherers until 1948, when it was gazetted a [[national park]]. At that time, the Orma with their livestock were driven off and the aboriginal population of the Watha people was forcefully relocated to Voi and Mtito Andei as well as other locations within the nearby [[Taita Hills]]. Following Kenyan independence in 1963, hunting was banned in the park and management of Tsavo was turned over to the authority that eventually became the [[Kenya Wildlife Service]]. Tsavo currently attracts photo-tourists from all over the world interested in experiencing the vastness of the wilderness and incredible terrain. ==Major attractions== ===Mudanda Rock=== [[File:Mudanda Rock in Tsavo East National Park (edited).jpg|thumb|Viewpoint from the top of Mudanda Rock]] The Mudanda Rock is a 1.6&nbsp;km [[inselberg]] of stratified rock that acts as a water catchment that supplies a natural dam below. It offers an excellent vantage point for the hundreds of elephants and other wildlife that come to drink during the dry season. ===Yatta Plateau=== The Yatta Plateau, the world's longest [[lava flow]], runs along the western boundary of the park above the [[Athi-Galana-Sabaki River|Athi River]]. Its 290&nbsp;km length was formed by lava from [[Ol Donyo Sabuk|Ol Doinyo Sabuk]] Mountain.<ref>{{cite book|last1=British Museum Natural History|title=Alkaline rocks and carbonatites of the world|date=2001|publisher=The Geological Society|location=London|isbn=9781862390836|page=135|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=K48ZMBWtoi4C&pg=PA135}}</ref> ===Lugard Falls=== Lugard Falls, named after [[Frederick Lugard]], is a series of white water rapids on the [[Athi-Galana-Sabaki River|Galana River.]] ===Aruba Dam=== Aruba Dam was built in 1952 across the [[Voi River]]. The [[reservoir (water)|reservoir]] created by the dam attracts many animals and water birds. == Wildlife == ===Mammals=== Tsavo East National Park is one of the world's largest game reserves, providing undeveloped wilderness homes to vast numbers of animals. Famous are the [[East African lion|Tsavo lion]]s, a population whose adult males often lack manes entirely. In total there are about 675 lions in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem.<ref name="Maclennan">Frank, L., Maclennan, S., Hazzah, L., Hill, T., & Bonham, R. (2006). ''Lion Killing in the Amboseli-Tsavo Ecosystem, 2001–2006, and its Implications for Kenya's Lion Population.'' [http://www.livingwithlions.org/AnnualReports/2006-Lion-killing-in-Amboseli-Tsavo-ecosystem.pdf PDF] Living with Lions, Nairobi, Kenya, 9.</ref> Some of the many mammals found in the park include: * [[Aardwolf]] * [[Yellow baboon]] * [[African buffalo|Cape buffalo]] * [[Senegal bushbaby]] * [[Bushbuck]] * [[Caracal]] * [[African wildcat]] * [[Southeast African cheetah]] * [[African civet]] * [[Kirk's dik-dik]] * [[African wild dog]] * [[African dormouse]] * [[Blue duiker]] * [[Bush duiker]] * [[Harvey's red duiker]] * [[Common eland]] * [[African bush elephant]] * [[Bat-eared fox]] * [[Northern greater galago]] * [[Grant's gazelle]] * [[Rusty-spotted genet]] * [[Common genet]] * [[Gerenuk]] * [[Giraffe|Masai giraffe]] * [[African savanna hare]] * [[Springhare]] * [[Coke's hartebeest]] * [[hirola|Hunter's hartebeest]] * [[East African hedgehog]] * [[Spotted hyena]] * [[Striped hyena]] * [[Yellow-spotted rock hyrax]] * [[Southern tree hyrax]] * [[Impala]] * [[Black-backed jackal]] * [[Side-striped jackal]] * [[Klipspringer]] * [[Lesser kudu]] * [[African leopard|Leopard]] * [[Panthera leo melanochaita|Lion]] * [[Banded mongoose]] * [[Dwarf mongoose]] * [[Egyptian mongoose]] * [[Marsh mongoose]] * [[Slender mongoose]] * [[White-tailed mongoose]] * [[Vervet monkey]] * [[Sykes' monkey]] * [[Fringe-eared oryx]] * [[Clawless otter]] * [[Ground pangolin]] * [[Crested porcupine]] * [[Cane rat]] * [[Cricetomys|Giant rat]] * [[Naked mole rat]] * [[Honey badger]] * [[Bohor reedbuck]] * [[eastern black rhinoceros|Black rhinoceros]] * [[Serval]] * [[Elephant shrew]] * [[Bush squirrel]] * [[Red bush squirrel|African red squirrel]] * [[Xerus erythropus|Striped ground squirrel]] * [[Unstriped ground squirrel]] * [[Suni]] * [[Common warthog]] * [[waterbuck|Ellipsen waterbuck]] * [[Plains zebra]] * [[Grevy's zebra]]. ===Birds=== Over 500 bird species have been recorded in the area, including [[ostrich]]es, [[kestrel]]s, [[buzzard]]s, [[starling]]s, [[weaver bird]]s, [[kingfisher]]s, [[hornbill]]s, [[secretary bird]]s and [[heron]]s. == Poaching == Between 2001 and 2006 more than 100 lions, elephants & other exotic wildlife have been killed in the Amboseli-Tsavo ecosystem. Most of them have been speared by young men. The [[Poaching|poachers]] usually do not face serious consequences. In contrast, the game scouts who arrested offenders have been punished by the community.<ref name="Maclennan"/> == References == {{reflist}} * Kusimba, Chapurukha M.; Kusimba, Sibel B.; Wright, David K. (2005) The development and collapse of precolonial ethnic mosaics in Tsavo, Kenya. [[Journal of African Archaeology]] 3(2):345–365. [https://web.archive.org/web/20150618195638/http://www.african-archaeology.de/index.php?page_id=154&journal_id=4&pdf_id=39 JAfrArch] * Thorbahn, P. F., (1979) The Precolonial Ivory Trade of East Africa: Reconstruction of a Human-Elephant Ecosystem. Ph.D., University of Massachusetts, Amherst. * Wijngaarden, W. v., and V. W. P. v. Engelen (1985) Soils and Vegetation of the Tsavo Area. Geological Survey of Kenya, Nairobi. * Wright, David K. (2005) Environment, Chronology and Resource Exploitation of the Pastoral Neolithic in Tsavo, Kenya. PhD Dissertation, Department of Anthropology, University of Illinois at Chicago. [https://www.academia.edu/2545670/Environment_Chronology_and_Resource_Exploitation_of_the_Pastoral_Neolithic_in_Tsavo_Kenya Wright Diss] * Wright, David K. (2005) New perspectives on early regional interaction networks in East Africa: A view from Tsavo National Park, Kenya. African Archaeological Review 15(3):111–141. [https://www.academia.edu/2545500/New_perspectives_on_early_regional_interaction_networks_in_East_Africa_A_view_from_Tsavo_National_Park_Kenya AAR] * Wright, David K. (2007) Tethered mobility and riparian resource exploitation among Neolithic hunters and herders in the Galana River Basin, Kenyan Coastal Lowlands. Environmental Archaeology 12(1):25–47. [https://www.academia.edu/2545490/Tethered_mobility_and_riparian_resource_exploitation_among_Neolithic_hunters_and_herders_in_the_Galana_River_Basin_Kenyan_Coastal_Lowlands Env. Archaeology] * Wright, David K.; Forman, Steven L.; Kusimba, Chapurukha M.; Pierson, James; Gomez, Jeanette; Tattersfield, Peter (2007) Stratigraphic and geochronological context of human habitation along the Galana River, Kenya. Geoarchaeology 22(7):709–730. [https://www.academia.edu/2545469/Stratigraphic_and_geochronological_context_of_human_habitation_along_the_Galana_River_Kenya Geoarch] * Patterson, John Henry. (1907) Man-Eaters of Tsavo. P 41 – 114. ==External links== {{Commons category|Tsavo East National Park}} * http://www.tsavonationalpark.co.ke/tsavo-east-national-park-kenya-accommodation-safari-lodges-camps-hotels.html * [http://watha.org The Watha People] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613015204/http://watha.org/ |date=13 June 2021 }} * [https://web.archive.org/web/20120822234943/http://kws.go.ke/parks/parks_reserves/TENP.html Kenya Wildlife Service page for Tsavo East National Park] * {{WDPA|752}} World Database on Protected Areas: [http://sea.unep-wcmc.org/wdbpa/sitedetails.cfm?siteid=752&level=nat Tsavo East National Park]{{dead link|date=December 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} {{National Parks of Kenya}} {{authority control}} [[Category:National parks of Kenya]] [[Category:Athi-Galana-Sabaki River]] [[Category:Protected areas established in 1948]] [[Category:Tsavo National Park]] [[Category:Northern Acacia-Commiphora bushlands and thickets]]'