The Albertine region is commonly referred to as the “Albertine rift valley” and sometimes “western rift.” The blessings of this region in Africa can best be revealed by a multitude of biodiversity present. 40% of Africa’s mammals, 20% of the continent’s birds, amphibians and a good number of plant species find their being in the rift valley region. Additionally, it is on record that this region hasbiggest number of vertebrates in the whole continent of Africa.
Albertine region depicts its fame from offering homage to the more threatened and endemic species in comparison to any other region in the continent, no wonder it is a hotspot for continent’s rich biodiversity and was declared a global 200 eco-region and an area for endemic birds.
Formation of this region was not a midnight event but rather a series of processes that involved tectonic movements which are slowly splitting the Somali plate apart from the rest of Africa. This can be evidenced by towering mountains surrounding the region that consist of uplifted Cambrian basement rocks. The rocks are overlaid in parts by the most recent volcanic rocks.
Vast mountains together with plateaus of Kivu, Shaba and Haut-Zaire, areas of south-west Uganda, D.R. Congo, Rwanda and Burundi in addition to Tanzania’s extreme western region are some of the rift valley region’s most beautiful wings. The region is made up of a number of mountains that vary in extent and altitude; the Rwenzori Mountains have the highest peak in the region, towering to a height of 5109m above the sea level. Nevertheless, other major mountain blocks with in the region have altitudes ranging between 2000 and 3500 meters above the sea level.
The Albertine region endemic birds.
Rwanda’s Nyungwe forest N/Park located in the eastern escarpment comprises of twenty nine (29) rift valley endemic birds. This park is readily accessible to all travelers interested in birding adventure. Birds in Nyungwe forest are rarely seen / or not existing in Uganda.
Itombwe Mountains rising from the shores of Lake Tanganyika on the side of DRC strongly support the largest contiguous block of montane forest in the Eastern Region of the continent. It is in this side of Albertine region that most famous and important sites for birding are located comprising of 565 species, including 31 Albertine Rift endemics; 3 of these are restricted to this area in the whole world.
The enigmatic Congo bay owl that was first recorded in the year 1952 is considered to be the most elusive of all birds within the region. It is quite absurd that this bird has never been recognized again since 1952 much as it is believed to be dwelling in the forests of Nyungwe in Rwanda.
Several Albertine forest endemics have a common affinity with extinct and extant Asian genera more than they share with any other species living in Africa. These species are a real explanation and testimony of the ages of the forests in which they live. These forests are believed to have existed as far as during the pre-historic climatic changes in the lower-lying parts of Congo basin. It is these climatic upheavals that caused temporary destruction of the forests. Examples include Congo bay owl and African green broadbill which are classed as living fossils.
The Albertine rift endemic mammals.
The dwarf-shrew of Rwenzori Mountains is one of the region’s endemic mammal. The dwarf-shrew is one of the three local African mainland species which belong to the aquatic insectivore family. This family of birds flourished five million years ago the only ones that survived did so by the related tenrecs found in Madagascar.
The endangered relic horseshoe bat species can only be found in the areas around Lake Kivu and Rwenzori mountains. They are much closer to the extant Asian horseshoe bat and ancient bat species and the ancient migrant stock than it is to any other modern species in Africa. The shrew specimen that was only collected once in the mountains of Itombwe makes these species the most primitive out of all the 150 African species.
