More than 20,000 hectares of land have been destroyed so far, including wildlife habitats and their biodiversity. Although a large proportion/majority of the fires have been controlled, the rainy season is not expected until late March/early April in this area. The situation remains critical and all park teams remain on high alert.

"The protection of our World Heritage sites is not limited to the day-to-day conservation work. It is also essential to be able to act quickly and effectively in the event of an emergency. I welcome the favourable response of the RRF to Kenya's request for funding to overcome this catastrophic fire which, I hope, will not have irreversible consequences on this World Heritage site," said Mechtild Rössler, Director of the UNESCO World Heritage Centre.

Inscribed on the World Heritage List in 1997, Mount Kenya National Park includes deep valleys with low slopes and rich biodiversity arid habitats, located in an ecological zone of transition between a mountainous ecosystem and semi-arid savannah grasslands. It is also on the traditional migration route of African elephant populations. The evolution and ecology of its Afro-Alpine flora earned it recognition as a Biosphere Reserve in 1978.

This action would not have been possible without the support of the Fondation Franz Weber.
This post was originally posted on the UNESCO website. Photo credit: UNESCO