Karura Forest Animals: Complete List of Wildlife & Bird Species
BeyondForest- Mar 22
- 3 min read
Updated: 8 hours ago
1.)Karura Forest Snake List
3.)Invertebrates at Karura Forest
4.)List of Karura Forest Butterflies
5.)Reptiles and Amphibians at Karura Forest
8.)Mammals at Karura Forest
Yes,according to Karura Forest Visitors Guide snakes of seven species occur in the forest. The largest being the African Rock Python,scientifically known as Python natalensis. Images of the Python taken in the forest back in 2019 elicited a viral following on social media
Karura Forest most common snake is Battersby's Green snake,scientifically known as Philothamnus battersbyi which is a hararmless diurnal tree snake that preys on frogs .Other Karura forest snake are of nocturnal species that are rarely seen for example the White-lipped snake,scientifically known as Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia also preys on frogs
African Rock Python | Python natalensis |
Battersby's Green snake | Philothamnus battersbyi |
White Lipped Snake | Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia |
Brown House snake | Lamprophis Fuliginosus |
Red -brown Forest Wolf Snake | L ornatum |
Peter's Worm Snake | Leptotypholps scutifrons |
Cape Wolf Snake | Lycophidion capense |
Friends Of Karura Forest Warning
WARNING from FKF science department! Increased tool use by juvenile Sykes' monkeys (Cercopithecus mitis) has been observed in Karura Forest. Lately there has been a rise in cases of those primates appropriating unattended children's bicycles, possibly mimicking observed behaviour of higher primates. Close supervision of bikes or locking mechanisms are recommended to promote wildlife/human co-existence within the forest.
Invertebrates at Karura Forest
Image of Belenois aurota, the African Caper White or brown-veined by Friend of Karura on Instagram
Most of Invertebrates in Karura Forest are Insects,Other arthropods include spiders, crustaceans (fresh water crabs and wood-lice) and milipedes,Terrestrial molluscs such as snails and slugs ,and annelids such as earthworms .The inverterbrates recycle nutrients and enrich soil by eating and digesting plants or breaking down deadwood certain insects pollinate flowersso enabling plants to produce seeds and fruits .
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Most of Karura forest invertebrates are butterflies this colorful insects are most active on warm, sunny afternoons . Caterpillars of the Noble swallowtails feed on the leaves of the Muthiga (East African Green heart) trees from which Muthaiga Estate gets its name . With the Kenya's smallest butterfly the clover Blue ,Actizera stellata with a wing span of just 18 mm frequents grassy area where the caterpillar food plant clover grows
List of Karura Forest Butterflies
Noble Swallowtails | Papilio Nobilis |
Green Banded Swallowtail | Papilio Phorcas |
Narrow Blue banded Swallowtail | P.Nireus |
African Mocker SwallowTail | P.Dardanus |
African Monarch | Danaus Chrysippus |
Regal Swallowtail | P. rex |
Green Veined Charaxes | Charaxes Candiope |
Pearl Charaxes | C .varanes |
Blue spotted Charaxes | C . Cithaeron |
Forest Mother of Pearl | Salamis Parhassus |
Eastern Blotched Leopard | Lachnoptera ayresii |
Common Leopard Fritillary | Phalanta Phalantha |
Layman | Amauris Albimaculata |
Banded Evening Browns | Gnophodes Betsimena |
Ermine Tent Moth | Yponomeuta sp |
The principal agents of pollination at Karura forest are the Bees other than the Honey Bees scientifically known as Apis mellifera are the Carpenter bees (Xylocopa spp) and the Leaf-cutter bees (Family Megachilidae) as well as the stingless Bees of several species
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Reptiles and Amphibians at Karura Forest
Amphibians's moist and permeable skins are sensitive to pollution and to environmental degradation making them good bio indicators of habitat quality .Karura forest most noticeable reptiles are diurnal lizards such as Jackson's forest Lizard (Adolfus jacksoni) while Karura forest most common striking reptile is the Jackson's chameleon (Chameleon jacksoni) often seen in ow shrubsat the forest edge.The males of the Jackson's chameleon have three long horns .Amphibians found at the forest reserve include the Reed Frogs (Hyperolius spp) , Northern Clawed Frogs(Xenopus borealis, Angolan River Frogs (Amietia angolensis, Guttural Toad(Bufo gutturalis)
Birds at Karura Forest
Image of a majestic crowned eagles by Friends of Karura Forest on Instagram
Karura Forest has 228 bird species. Most of birds in Karura Forest are resident species implying they breed in the reserve and can be seen all year round . Some birds are highlnd species that visit Karura Forest off and on times .Other species are Palaerctic migrants from Europe and Asia seen on Ocober and April while a few are intra -African migrant species from as far as southern africa or Madagascar . Crowned eagles are the most powerful of African bird prey in Karura Forest mostly preying on Monkeys and other forest mammals .
Also common prey is the Ayres's Hawk Eagle . Available ruit eating birds include Hartlab's Turacos other present birds include the Yellow-whiskered Greenbul usually seen in the canopy,Cabanis's Greenbul,Slender -billed Greenbul , Narina Trogon
Red Chested Cuckoo |
Cardinal Woodpecker |
African Grey Woodpecker |
Brown-backed Woodpecker |
Isabelline Shrikes |
Red backed Shrikes |
Willow Warblers |
Great Sparrowhawks |
African Goshawks |
Yellow -rumped Tinkerbird |
White-headed Barbet |
African Paradise Flycatcher |
Montane White eye |
Red Faced Crombec |
White Eyed Slaty Flycatcher |
Rippell's Robin Chat |
Cinnamon -Chested Bee eaters |
Eurasian Bee eaters |
Black Cuckoo Shrikes |
Variable Sunbird |
Collared Sunbird |
Brown-chested Alethe |
White Starred Robin |
African Bluck Duck |
Mountain Wagtails |
Tropical Boubou |
Grey Capped Warbler |
Black Backed Puffback |
Chin Spot Batis |
White Bellied Tit |
Green-backed Honeybird |
Northern Double collared Sunbird |
Red chested flufftail |
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