Tugen in pictures

A close range view of Morop hill, the second highest point of Tugen Hills after Saimo. It is over 2,270m high


Kikojo falls on its way to Lake Baringo. On the foot of the water fall, there's a 50m cave where the Tugen rain god used to live before it was evicted by a courageous Arap Tarno. You have to penetrate the water fall to gain entry.


The house of thunder: Since the infamous shooting of the rain god, one can now enter the cave which has seven compartments inside. The rain god succumbed to the wounds inflicted along Kerio valley in Keiyo. Lucky it was pregnant by the time and it's generation line never died.


Before the Kipkokel forest was cut down to pave way for the construction of the multi billion Kirandich dam, the rain god used to wander here. Red mercury used to drip though fissures of gorges inside the forest... the mercury story though is for another day!


This is the aerial view of Kirdam from the roof of Tarambas forest westwards...


... and gazing eastwards is a magnificent view of Lake Baringo. You can observe the 350km distant Mt. Kenya from here when the sun is in the equator.


Finally, you are here either birding...


... picnicking...


... or hiking.

Tugen Hills; origin of the early man

Courtesy: Safari ya Baringo & www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/article
Following several excavations of ancient hominids and other material in Tugen Hills, researchers now are convinced that this area is the cradle of modern mankind.
Located in the north rift region of Kenya, the Tugen Hills consist of a series of tilted blocks in the Gregory Rift Valley. Deposits have accumulated in the resulting tectonic depressions dating to between 16 mya and the present day. In 2000, in the Lukeino Formation, which dates back to 6 mya, the remains of a bipedal hominid, Orrorin tugenensis, were found. This has had the effect of completing altering concepts about our distant origins. Our efforts have thus focused on this geological formation, and we have been rewarded with the discovery of a form closely resembling the gorilla on the Kapsomin site.

Palaeontology





Fig. 35: tusk of hippopotamid

A rich and very diversified fauna was recovered in the Lukeino Formation (Fig. 35), including numerous bovids (impalas, duikers, tragelaphini), tragulidae, tree hyraxes, cercopithecidae (colobinae), galagos, rodents, leporids and a number of carnivores including tree civets, suids, rhinocerotids, hippopotamids, birds and crocodiles. At Cheboit, the site that supplied the first hominid tooth of the formation in 1974, we found a further chalicothere alongside traditional Lukeino fauna.




Geology

The almost continuous sequence at the Tugen Hills spans the period between 16.5 mya and the present day and is the most complete series currently identified in Africa for the period in question (Fig. 31).






Fig. 31: dating of Lukeino Formation

Human palaeontology

Hominids
Following the first discovery in 1974 by M Pickford of a hominid lower molar in the Lukeino Formation at Cheboit, work understandably began on this formation, where the remains of the first bipedal hominid dating to 6 mya were uncovered in three other locations (Kapsomin, Aragai, Kapcheberek) in autumn 2000.
The Orrorin mandible has quite a high body (primitive feature) with no diastema. The fairly small and quadrangular molars are covered with thick enamel, and the enamel-dentine junction is fairly flat. The premolars have offset roots, as in the great apes, and the modestly sized canines are also similar to those of the great apes. The characteristics of the premolars and canines are not, however, similar to those of chimpanzees but rather are inherited features from their Miocene ancestors who already displayed these traits. As for the lower incisors, they appear to be closer to hominid incisors.
The skeletal remains suggest that the hominid displayed adaptations to bipedalism and arboreal locomotion. Bipedalism is suggested by the morphology of the femur neck, its extension, the cortical bone distribution (thicker at the base of the neck and less so at the top), muscular insertion of the gluteal and obturator externus muscles, and the orientation of the femoral head (Fig. 37).





Fig. 37: Thighbones of a chimpanzee (left) and Orrorin tugenensis (right)
Great apes
In the Middle Miocene levels of the Ngorora Formation (12.5 mya), a molar that is morphologically similar to that of the chimpanzee was uncovered. The resemblance to the European Dryopithecus (about 9 to 11 mya) suggests that the latter are probably not ancestors of the African hominoids, but their descendants. On the Kapsomin site, an upper incisor and a lower-molar fragment, which are similar to those of the modern gorilla, were discovered recently (Fig. 39).






Fig. 39




Palaeoenvironment

The Lukeino Formation was formed in a wet environment as indicated by faunal remains which include water chevrotains, palm civets, fruit bats, tree hyraxes, and numerous types of colobus and impala. These faunae suggest a fairly wooded and wet environment. The existence of a forest is confirmed by well-preserved plant remains in diatomaceous layers. In particular, a number of leaves in the process of precise determination have been found, some of which are of significant size, at around 10cm or so, with clearly defined dripping points. They are also extremely diversified with almost 15 or so identifiable types. Lastly, a hot and wet environment is suggested by significant deposits of rubified palaeosols in the upper levels of the Lukeino Formation. The first bipedal hominids were therefore not associated with dry environments.
In addition, a number of petrified-algae limestone blocks found in the formation indicate that there were hot springs in the environment, as confirmed by the thin film of bacterial sediment covering certain specimens of mammal (hominids included). The environment in the Tugen Hills 6 million years ago must have been fairly similar to the current environment in the Lake Bogoria region of Kenya with lower cliffs and more dense forest coverage around the edges of the lake (Fig. 42).






Fig. 42



Taphonomy

At Kapsomin, a number of fossils showed traces of predation, which suggests that a large feline was responsible for the build-up of bones. The only modern feline that kills its prey and carries it back to a chosen spot is the leopard. It carries mid-sized prey, such as antelopes, up trees, where it keeps them for later meals. Scraps occasionally fall to the ground where hyenas and jackals either eat them immediately or make away with them. However, if pieces fall into water, then they have a better chance of being preserved, and that is why we find fossilised bones particularly at Kapsomin. One possible scenario to explain this is that a tree was growing on a low basalt cliff at the foot of which there was a shallow body of water. A leopard or similar beast hid its prey in a tree, and pieces fell on occasion into the water where they were perfectly preserved. During other periods, the water level receded and pieces fell onto dry ground where they were damaged by carrion feeders, by desiccation (the hominid mandible is cracked similar to Bovid mandibles) and by being trampled or even carried away.

Museology

In the context of collaboration with Community Museums of Kenya, a new museum was established in association with the French Natural History Museum, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of local sponsors (Banque Crédit Agricole IndoSuez, Bamburi Cement, the Commercial Bank of Kenya, the French Embassy in Nairobi, Michelin). Located in Kipsaraman, 6km from the fossiliferous sites, it is intended for the protection of existing and fossil heritage. It is divided into two major parts: one part is devoted to the protection of existing biodiversity (presented via a series of panels; this part was provided by the French Natural History Museum in Paris), and the other part presents the geological and palaeontological history of the region with reference to local legends. The museum receives schools, students from the university in Eldoret and tourists alike. It is a source of information and education for local people.





Following several excavations of ancient hominids and other material in Tugen Hills, researchers now are convinced that this area is the cradle of modern mankind.
Located in the north rift region of Kenya, the Tugen Hills consist of a series of tilted blocks in the Gregory Rift Valley. Deposits have accumulated in the resulting tectonic depressions dating to between 16 mya and the present day. In 2000, in the Lukeino Formation, which dates back to 6 mya, the remains of a bipedal hominid, Orrorin tugenensis, were found. This has had the effect of completing altering concepts about our distant origins. Our efforts have thus focused on this geological formation, and we have been rewarded with the discovery of a form closely resembling the gorilla on the Kapsomin site.

Palaeontology





Fig. 35: tusk of hippopotamid

A rich and very diversified fauna was recovered in the Lukeino Formation (Fig. 35), including numerous bovids (impalas, duikers, tragelaphini), tragulidae, tree hyraxes, cercopithecidae (colobinae), galagos, rodents, leporids and a number of carnivores including tree civets, suids, rhinocerotids, hippopotamids, birds and crocodiles. At Cheboit, the site that supplied the first hominid tooth of the formation in 1974, we found a further chalicothere alongside traditional Lukeino fauna.




Geology

The almost continuous sequence at the Tugen Hills spans the period between 16.5 mya and the present day and is the most complete series currently identified in Africa for the period in question (Fig. 31).






Fig. 31: dating of Lukeino Formation

Human palaeontology

Hominids
Following the first discovery in 1974 by M Pickford of a hominid lower molar in the Lukeino Formation at Cheboit, work understandably began on this formation, where the remains of the first bipedal hominid dating to 6 mya were uncovered in three other locations (Kapsomin, Aragai, Kapcheberek) in autumn 2000.
The Orrorin mandible has quite a high body (primitive feature) with no diastema. The fairly small and quadrangular molars are covered with thick enamel, and the enamel-dentine junction is fairly flat. The premolars have offset roots, as in the great apes, and the modestly sized canines are also similar to those of the great apes. The characteristics of the premolars and canines are not, however, similar to those of chimpanzees but rather are inherited features from their Miocene ancestors who already displayed these traits. As for the lower incisors, they appear to be closer to hominid incisors.
The skeletal remains suggest that the hominid displayed adaptations to bipedalism and arboreal locomotion. Bipedalism is suggested by the morphology of the femur neck, its extension, the cortical bone distribution (thicker at the base of the neck and less so at the top), muscular insertion of the gluteal and obturator externus muscles, and the orientation of the femoral head (Fig. 37).





Fig. 37: Thighbones of a chimpanzee (left) and Orrorin tugenensis (right)
Great apes
In the Middle Miocene levels of the Ngorora Formation (12.5 mya), a molar that is morphologically similar to that of the chimpanzee was uncovered. The resemblance to the European Dryopithecus (about 9 to 11 mya) suggests that the latter are probably not ancestors of the African hominoids, but their descendants. On the Kapsomin site, an upper incisor and a lower-molar fragment, which are similar to those of the modern gorilla, were discovered recently (Fig. 39).






Fig. 39




Palaeoenvironment

The Lukeino Formation was formed in a wet environment as indicated by faunal remains which include water chevrotains, palm civets, fruit bats, tree hyraxes, and numerous types of colobus and impala. These faunae suggest a fairly wooded and wet environment. The existence of a forest is confirmed by well-preserved plant remains in diatomaceous layers. In particular, a number of leaves in the process of precise determination have been found, some of which are of significant size, at around 10cm or so, with clearly defined dripping points. They are also extremely diversified with almost 15 or so identifiable types. Lastly, a hot and wet environment is suggested by significant deposits of rubified palaeosols in the upper levels of the Lukeino Formation. The first bipedal hominids were therefore not associated with dry environments.
In addition, a number of petrified-algae limestone blocks found in the formation indicate that there were hot springs in the environment, as confirmed by the thin film of bacterial sediment covering certain specimens of mammal (hominids included). The environment in the Tugen Hills 6 million years ago must have been fairly similar to the current environment in the Lake Bogoria region of Kenya with lower cliffs and more dense forest coverage around the edges of the lake (Fig. 42).






Fig. 42



Taphonomy

At Kapsomin, a number of fossils showed traces of predation, which suggests that a large feline was responsible for the build-up of bones. The only modern feline that kills its prey and carries it back to a chosen spot is the leopard. It carries mid-sized prey, such as antelopes, up trees, where it keeps them for later meals. Scraps occasionally fall to the ground where hyenas and jackals either eat them immediately or make away with them. However, if pieces fall into water, then they have a better chance of being preserved, and that is why we find fossilised bones particularly at Kapsomin. One possible scenario to explain this is that a tree was growing on a low basalt cliff at the foot of which there was a shallow body of water. A leopard or similar beast hid its prey in a tree, and pieces fell on occasion into the water where they were perfectly preserved. During other periods, the water level receded and pieces fell onto dry ground where they were damaged by carrion feeders, by desiccation (the hominid mandible is cracked similar to Bovid mandibles) and by being trampled or even carried away.

Museology

In the context of collaboration with Community Museums of Kenya, a new museum was established in association with the French Natural History Museum, the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a number of local sponsors (Banque Crédit Agricole IndoSuez, Bamburi Cement, the Commercial Bank of Kenya, the French Embassy in Nairobi, Michelin). Located in Kipsaraman, 6km from the fossiliferous sites, it is intended for the protection of existing and fossil heritage. It is divided into two major parts: one part is devoted to the protection of existing biodiversity (presented via a series of panels; this part was provided by the French Natural History Museum in Paris), and the other part presents the geological and palaeontological history of the region with reference to local legends. The museum receives schools, students from the university in Eldoret and tourists alike. It is a source of information and education for local people.

About Lake Baringo National Reserve

Courtesy: Safari ya Baringo & http://www.africapoint.com/lake-baringo-national-park.php

En route to Tugen hills, a visitor can take a day or two enjoying nature at Lake Baringo national reserve. It is the home to world’s biggest bird species population. It is believed that these birds always migrate between the lowland and Tugen hills as they feed and breed, making Tugen hills a possible bird hotspot as well.
Necessary information on Lake Baringo are listed below.
1. General Information

This is a fresh water lake found in Rift Valley, 200km north of Naivasha. The lake is home to a huge mix of marine life and bird species. Scholars of the earth's underground activities can base their research on this lake, as its shorelines are dotted with steam jets, boiling geysers and fumaroles.

Fishing is a widely practiced activity carried out by the Njemps community as a source of livelihood. The lake has an average depth of only 8m(25ft) and has three islands i.e. Ol Kokwa, Teddy Bear and Gibraltar, which can be accessed by the boat trips, provided by the lake's administrative authority.


2. Getting There
A popular tourist destination frequented both by local and international visitors; the lake can be reached by road directly from Nakuru, 157km northwest of Nairobi

3. Major Attractions The lake is thought of as a good stopover site whilst on a long safari across the Great Rift Valley. It offers an extraordinary variety if bird life and is renowned for this reason, infact it is known as the bird watching center of Kenya. Different species have been spotted on Lake Baringo. Flamingoes with a lighter shade of pink inhabit the lake along with the rare Greater Kudu.

The lake is also home to crocodiles and hippos. For viewing purposes, there exist boat trips that are efficient for going to the islands. KAMPI YA SAMAKI is the center of exploration, which gives one good sitings.

The Njemps community is also a fascination and offer entertainment in the form of song and dance enabled by the excursions provided, to their villages. The surrounding environment of the lake is arid, red- soiled with sparse vegetation offering a good atmosphere for setting up picnics or just meditation


The best accommodation facility available in this national park is the Lake Baringo Club.

TOURISM AND WILDLIFE IN THE NORTHWESTERN TOURIST CIRCUIT.

Courtesy: http://www.kvda.go.ke/tourism.html & Safari ya Baringo

Tugen Hills in the northwestern circuit of the Kenya Tourist Federation is strategically placed along the main route of the tourist route leading one from Nairobi, the capital, through world famous sites. They include the great Rift valley, the volcanic Mt. Longonot, Lake Naivasha, Lake Elementaita, Lake Nakuru, Lake Bogoria, Lake Baringo and Tugen Hills itself, where one will sample a wide array of serenity accompanied by rich culture and paleontological history. Leaving Tugen Hill for Lake Victoria and Kakamega forest, one will enjoy passing by other famous sites in the Kerio Valley including world’s largest fluorspar mine Cheploch gorge and others.
The region abounds with tourism potential as enumerated below

LANDSCAPES
The region has picturesque landscapes that include among others;
• Waterfalls: - Torok and Kessup in Keiyo district, Arror and Embobut in Marakwet district.
• Cliffs: - Rondinin (Simut) and Kipngochoch in Baringo district and Kamriny in Keiyo district.
• Valleys: - The great rift valley (Kerio valley and Suguta valley)
• Hills/Escapement: - Cherangany hills in Marakwet and West Pokot district, Elgeyo Escapement in Keiyo district, Seker hills in Westpokot district, Tugen hills in Baringo district and Mogila hills in Turkana district.
• Gorges: - Turkwel gorge in West Pokot district and Chebloch in Baringo and Keiyo districts border.

WILDLIFE
The region is home to wide rage of wildlife which is a major tourism attraction.he main reserves and sanctuaries are lakes Bogoria, Baringo, Kapnarok, Nasolot, Saiwa swamp, Rimon and lake Turkana. The main type of wildlife 
includes Elephants, Buffaloes, Crocodile, Hippos and various birds. These are fond in national parks and reserves.
The game reserves and other attraction are popular both to local people and foreigners. Average numbers of annual visitors to game reserves in atypical year are averagely appreciating annually

OTHER ATTRACTIONS 

Lakes
The region has three natural lakes namely: - Turkana, Baringo and Bogoria. Water sports such as boat and canoe tours have been introduced in Lakes Turkana and Baringo and attract non-residents tourists.
• Lake Bogoria in Baringo district is a popular tourist attraction site due to its active geyser. The geysers produce stream reach in sulphur compounds, which are believed to be medicinal. In the same area are not – which have been harnessed by the local noted industry.
• Kabarnet Museum
Artifacts depicting the cultural history of the regions communities have been collected and is played in museums. Visitors to museums are over 2000 annually. These museums are strategically located along the northwestern tourist circuit.
Tourist Accommodation Facilities
Most of the hotels in the region providing tourist – class facilities are situated in Baringo and Keiyo districts. They have combined bed capacities of more than 300.

The forests of the Tugen Hills

CHALLENGES FACING FORESTS OF THE TUGEN HILLS

Baringo district, Rift valley, Kenya is one of Kenya’s ASAL classified regions. It is almost entirely arid except for the Tugen hills North West and Central of the district.

The population in the lowland areas of Baringo are pastoralists and practice bee keeping whereas those of Tugen hills are subsistence farmers.

Being a highland that is agriculturally productive, the Tugen hills is a lifeline of the whole Baringo district as it is a source of foodstuff especially horticultural products and cereals.

The Tugen hills experience a fairly good rainfall pattern, with fertile soils and once boasted feeding the entire district. The reliance of the rest of the district on Tugen hills as its food basket has sharply declined that that supplements has to be sourced from elsewhere. The poor harvests experienced in the recent decades are due to changing rainfall patterns, combined effects of climate change and massive erosion.

Initially when the vegetation was still intact, the rainfall pattern was consistent and therefore the food security was reliable.

Currently, the forest coverage has drastically declined by approximately 20% and hence, one of the measures to check the problem is ensuring the stop of further destruction of the existing four main forests namely; Katemok, Tarambas hill, Kipng’ochoch and Kinyo forests and restoring their initial coverage through re- forestation.

All the four of Tugen hills forests are under management of the county council of Baringo and protected by Kenya Forestry Service

Approximately 80% of the Tugen hills forests are composed of indigenous plant species with the remaining being exotic plantations, some established in the early 1970’s on lands where illegal settlers had invaded in the 1950’s.

There are sections of savannah grassland vegetation in the Tugen hills, for example the region around Kapchomuso and Kapkut areas. The higher most points of the hills are rocky, with scorch vegetation. These regions include areas around Kabarnet town, seguton hill, Tarambas hill and Kator all in Baringo central.

The Tugen hills forests are of great importance to the communities living around it for it’s socio- economic and cultural benefits.

Long before and after the introduction of modern medicine, the local communities have relied on especially the indigenous plants for their medicinal value.

These forests are also a source of energy (firewood), as the cheapest and readily available form. It is a source of wood for construction of houses, making of furniture, household items and traditional artifacts.

The forests of Baringo have a great significance as water catchment areas and a reason for the existence of flowing streams. They include Kinyo, Endao, Kerio, Kapkiamo, Bemoi, Emkong, Sogom, Kimogombel, Ruwamoi, Toiwon, Smood falls, Kapkong and Enso Rivers.

These Rivers supply the districts’ all important water reservoirs including Lake Baringo, Lake Kapnarok, Kirandich dam which supply domestic water for Kabarnet municipality, Chemeron dam which supply Marigat town, Kimao dam which is to suppliment Chemeron in supplying Marigat, Toiwon dam which supply Kabartonjo town and Kaptimbor dam. Most of these streams are also tributaries to the main Rivers -Kerio and Endao Rivers

During times of drought and shortage of grass for livestock, some forest plants like Trichocladus ellipticus become alternative fodder.

For Bee farmers, these forests are ideal locations for placing  beehives.

The Tugen hills though still is home to wild animals and protected plants, the wildlife population has notably reduced by the time.

There are culturally significant plants that the Tugen people use during traditional ceremonies. These plants may not be available in their farmlands thus the forestlands are quite important as a source for them. These plants include Warburgia ugandensis, Acocanthera schimperi, Euclea divinorum, among many others.

With the low economic empowerment of the surging population, the declining crop harvests and lack of other business avenues, people have resulted to trading in wood products to meet their day-to-day needs. There also been an increased reliance of forest resources lately, owed to their high value products. More harvesting of these plants have resulted to their depletion at an alarming rate.

Rampant harvesting of Juniperus and Olives for their high quality building material; Podocarpus and Warburgia for their high quality furniture production; Garcinia jonstonii as an important medicinal plant and the increasing illegal trading of Osyris lanceolata (East African Sandalwood), have made these and others endangered.

Deforestation and logging remain the main cause of these forests destruction. Communities living around the forests cut trees for firewood, charcoal burning, building material and carvings production. There are traders who supply saw millers with logs from these forests, especially Katemok and Kipng’ochoch, for timber production.

Improper harvesting of wood for the production of carvings, household items and for medicine has left these important plants vulnerable to possible elimination. Lately, the trading in endangered plant species like the Sandalwood has increased in the region, with wealthy businessmen and influential leaders forming the cartels.

Illegal as well as licensed logging constitutes a bigger proportion of the forests destruction than the domestic usage does.

Overcoming the problem is quite cumbersome since the wealthy traders in this business, who also harvest in large scale, offer handsome bribes to the low earning forest security. Therefore, corruption among the forest authorities and people trading in forest products is one of the factors contributing to the destruction of the Tugen hills forests.

The award of forestland for human settlement and ‘community projects’ including construction of schools, churches and health centers by influential leaders in government, as has been the case in Baringo in the past, has contributed to massive destruction of forests.

Similar settlements in other forests like the Mau, Mochongoi and Timboroa forests have caused destruction whose effects of decreasing volume of main Rivers of Baringo have been felt.

Erosion, a consequence of deforestation has caused siltation of Baringo’ s water reservoirs, soil infertility and massive floods that have caused destruction of infrastructure and loss of life.

Down the slopes of Tugen hills to the West is the Kerio valley and Mokoswok valley to the East. These are arid lands, where a sign of desertification is evidently encroaching towards the uplands. This is fueled by massive charcoal burning, land clearance due to population pressure, overgrazing and the effects of climate change. Entirely all the charcoal consumed in Baringo’ s urban centers and elsewhere is produced in the arid parts of the district and while the main economic activity is livestock rearing, overgrazing and hence erosion is rampant.

The change of climate has been noted from the inconsistent rainfall patterns and forms, rising temperatures and re- emergence of diseases for example the Rift Valley Fever that was attributed to the unusually long rains in the year 2006.

The numerous challenges facing the existence of forests in the Tugen hills can be overcome if measures are put in place the soonest to curb it’s destruction and initiate the process of restoration.

The most important measure to change the existing trend could be starting a re- forestation and tree-planting program.

This involves first creating awareness of the danger and consequence of depleting forests and instilling a sense of responsibility in the people so as to be in the forefront in the conservation of these forests.

The involvement of relevant authorities including the Kenya Forestry Service, Local authorities, Ministry of Natural Resources, Kenya wildlife Service, local administrative and political leaders as well as community development groups is important in mobilizing financial and human resource support.

This will eventually pave way for the forestation program, which entails identification and reclamation of depleted zones in the forests with the aim of replanting them. The community will also be encouraged to plant trees in their homes, and if possible dedicate to establish private forests.

Encouraging the local community of the need to venture into alternative energy sources such as solar, wind power and most of all biogas can drastically reduce the overdependence of firewood, which is a forest resource.

The use of energy saving stoves in homes and cultivation of fast growing softwood plants like Croton and Griffelia for firewood dependency should also be encouraged.

Medicinal plants and plants with cultural and economic importance should be protected to ensure their continual usage among the community. Healthy harvesting of these plants should be encouraged to avoid unnecessary destruction and possible wastage. The medicinal importance of Garcinia jonstonii (Muikutwe - Tugen), has left the plant vulnerable to extinction. Every single plant of the few remaining (as observed in Tarambas and Kinyo forests), have been debarked and could dry up soon. The problem facing its natural propagation is the fact that its seeds are edible and due to the few plants available, the fruits are harvested premature hence the chance of it’s seeds maturing fully is quite minimal. Several other plant species that have to be used by the community are facing the same risk of being exhausted.

Generally, the decline in vegetation cover in the Tugen hills can represent a feature that is characteristic the world over.  To arrest the situation, there is need to concentrate and dedicate resources on the smaller units of the entire global forest cover like this to ensure maximum protection. By doing so, the prospects of combined efforts will see the worlds future generation live in a better world.

By Chesire Chris