Meet our natural seed dispersers

Every animal in Haller Park plays an important role in our Eco system. This week we focus on the Elands and Oryx.

Herds of Eland and Oryx antelopes were introduced to utilize the agriculturally unproductive reserve land of the cement factory, and to act as seed dispersers form the original bush- and grassland into the disused, open quarries.

Elands Foraging in Haller Park

Dr. Rene’ Haller decided to try to farm indigenous antelopes, which are adapted to harsh, dry conditions and poor vegetation, and are also largely resistant to the many livestock diseases. He acquired a small herd of eland antelopes from a game farming research project in Naivasha and Gilgil in 1976 and in 1978 a group of 9 Oryx was purchased from Galana Ranch. Eland are big antelopes, whose food consists mainly of leaves and leaves and young shoots, fruits, pods etc., and fresh grass during the rainy season. They can digest a number of plant species which are toxic to domestic livestock.

TheOryx and Eland herd off in search of greener pastures.

Oryx are smaller antelopes, very well adapted to dry habitats. They are grazers, able to digest fiber exceptionally well. They can survive on dry, poor grass rejected by livestock and even elands, and are able to efficiently conserve water. Both species feed in the bush and grassland, but go to the quarry ponds to drink, and to open quarry to rest. On the way, they distribute the seeds of their favorite food plants with their droppings. Many seeds are adapted to this way of seed dispersal, and their seeds pass through the digestive tract unharmed. They germinated easily in the nutritious substrate of the decaying faeces. Both species have been domesticated successfully over 5 generations, and are being herded by herdsmen almost like cattle

World Bank Environmentalists plant mangrooves at the South Quarry Viewing Point

This week Haller Park hosted World Bank environmentalist. They really loved the park and contributed to ourrehabilitation efforts by planting mangroove trees in the new marshes at the South Quarry Viewing Point.

Did you know that the area that Bamburi Cement now sits on was once underwater? Here is a fossilised rock in Haller Park

Old Fossil rock in Haller Park