Mount Kulal Biosphere Reserve

UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, inscribed 1978, in Kenya. Mount Kulal’s ecosystem captures moisture in the form of mist and rain and provides important hydrological services for northern Kenya. The mountain has a volcanic origin: lava fields define the surrounding landscape, and its sides are steep and often cut by deep canyons. The presence of a peak as high as Mount Kulal in one of the driest regions of East Africa makes it unique topographically and contributes to the particular ecosystem services that the mountain and its forest provide to the region. Historically, the biosphere reserve was a major habitat for elephants (Loxodonta africana) and black rhinoceroses (Diceros bicornis), which were plentiful until 1976; however, these species have now been exterminated by poaching.