Aerial view of the dense green canopy of Kakamega Forest

Gallery

Wildlife, the forest and its impact

Four themes, four stories: the ecosystem's wildlife, its forest and rivers, K-BIAN's work on the ground, and the mining that puts pressure on it all — every photograph links through to its own full-size file.

Fauna

Wildlife

Primates, birds, snakes and the forest's 487 butterfly species

18 photographs

A swallowtail butterfly with black, white and orange-spotted wings, feeding at close range

One of 487 butterfly species recorded across the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

A martial eagle perched atop a bush, wings half-raised

A martial eagle in the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

A bar-tailed trogon, green-headed with a bright yellow breast, perched on a branch

A bar-tailed trogon in the forest canopy.

Credit: K-BIAN

A dark-coated monkey partially hidden among dense canopy leaves

One of the forest's primate species, in dense cover.

Credit: K-BIAN

An orange and black butterfly with white wing markings resting on leaf litter

A butterfly resting among leaf litter on the forest floor.

Credit: K-BIAN

Three black-and-white colobus monkeys sitting together in a tree

Black-and-white colobus monkeys in the forest canopy.

Credit: K-BIAN

An Eastern double-collared sunbird, its throat iridescent green and red, on a branch

A sunbird in the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

A woodpecker with a red cap foraging on a moss-covered branch

A woodpecker among the forest's mossy branches.

Credit: K-BIAN

An orange, black and white bird standing on moss-covered stone steps

A forest bird on the old stone steps within the reserve.

Credit: K-BIAN

An orange, grey and black bird standing on bare forest ground

A forest bird foraging on the ground.

Credit: K-BIAN

A black-and-white-casqued hornbill perched in a tree

A hornbill in the forest canopy.

Credit: K-BIAN

A grey and rust-coloured bird foraging on bare ground

A forest bird on open ground.

Credit: K-BIAN

A potto, a slow-moving nocturnal primate, gripping a branch with both hands

A potto, one of the forest's nocturnal primates.

Credit: K-BIAN

Four black-and-white colobus monkeys resting together in a tree

A family group of black-and-white colobus monkeys.

Credit: K-BIAN

A green bush viper coiled around a forked branch

One of the forest's recorded snake species.

Credit: K-BIAN

A tan-coloured viper coiled among green leaves

One of the forest's recorded snake species.

Credit: K-BIAN

Black-and-white colobus monkeys sitting in a tree

Black-and-white colobus monkeys in the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

A potto hanging upside down from a branch at night

A potto photographed at night.

Credit: K-BIAN

Landscape

The forest

Canopy, rivers, waterfalls and the reserves from the air

22 photographs

A dirt road through dense forest, with a motorbike rider and cyclists

A forest road within the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of a forest lodge and clearing surrounded by dense canopy

Forest lodge infrastructure within the reserve.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of forest with a bare eroded scar cutting through the canopy

Pressure on the forest canopy, seen from the air.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of a waterfall, its water discoloured brown, cascading through forest

One of the rivers running through the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

A guest house building with a Kenya Wildlife Service dedication plaque, forest behind

Guest accommodation within the reserve.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of a forest block standing as an island surrounded by farmland

The forest as an island within the surrounding farmland.

Credit: K-BIAN

A guest house building in a forest clearing, with a staff member in the doorway

Guest accommodation within the reserve.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of a dirt track cutting through dense forest canopy

Access tracks within the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

A waterfall dropping over rocks into a muddy forest pool

A waterfall within the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

Looking up at a large buttressed tree trunk in the forest canopy

A buttressed tree, typical of the forest's indigenous canopy.

Credit: K-BIAN

Looking up at a tall buttressed tree trunk reaching into the canopy

A buttressed tree within the forest.

Credit: K-BIAN

A person sitting on a rocky outcrop overlooking forested hills

A viewpoint over the forest and surrounding hills.

Credit: K-BIAN

A vehicle with a roof tent and camping tents set up at a forest campsite

A campsite within the forest.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of a dirt track through dense forest canopy

Access tracks within the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of cultivated farmland bordering dense forest

The edge of the forest, bordering cultivated land.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of a forest block surrounded by farmland

The forest as an island within the surrounding farmland.

Credit: K-BIAN

Looking up at a sunlit, moss-covered buttressed tree trunk

A buttressed tree within the forest.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of misty forest and hills at dawn

The Kakamega Forest Ecosystem at dawn.

Credit: K-BIAN

A wooden boardwalk through the forest, sunlight filtering through the canopy

A footbridge within the Kakamega Forest Ecosystem.

Credit: K-BIAN

Aerial view of misty forest stretching towards distant hills

The Kakamega Forest Ecosystem, seen from the air.

Credit: K-BIAN

Looking up at buttressed tree roots in the forest canopy

A buttressed tree within the forest.

Credit: K-BIAN

Looking up at buttressed tree roots in close view

A buttressed tree within the forest.

Credit: K-BIAN

The wider picture

Mining and its impact

Alluvial gold mining along River Isiukhu, Kakamega County

6 photographs

Two people standing near a row of circular mining pits filled with discoloured water, beside a corrugated-iron shelter

A leaching site along River Isiukhu, Kakamega County — the scale of the pits is visible against the people and shelter nearby.

Credit: K-BIAN

Terraced earthen pits excavated in stepped tiers into the ground, with forest visible behind

Ground excavated in stepped tiers at a mining site along River Isiukhu, Kakamega County.

Credit: K-BIAN

A row of circular concrete-lined pits filled with murky brown water, connected by a plastic hose, forested hills behind

Discoloured water standing in mining leaching pits along River Isiukhu, Kakamega County.

Credit: K-BIAN

Close view of mustard-yellow discoloured water filling a mining pit, with a soil embankment to one side

Water discoloured to a deep yellow-ochre inside a leaching pit along River Isiukhu, Kakamega County.

Credit: K-BIAN

Brick-red circular pit walls beneath a large heap of excavated soil, with litter scattered across bare stripped ground

Bare, stripped ground and a soil heap around excavated pit walls along River Isiukhu, Kakamega County.

Credit: K-BIAN

Large mounds of excavated soil piled directly against the edge of a eucalyptus forest, under a clear sky

Soil heaps from mining activity piled against the forest edge along River Isiukhu, Kakamega County.

Credit: K-BIAN