Cal Madow
Encyclopedia
Cal Madow is a mountain range
in northeastern Somalia
, extending from several kilometers west of Bosaso to northwest of Erigavo. Its peak sits at almost 2500 m in Shimbiris
, northwest of Erigavo. Cal Madow was a tourist destination in the late 1980s, but the Somali government failed to allocate enough resources to its development. It was mainly the local Sanaag
region's population that preserved its habitat despite facing future risks of deforestation
.
The dense mountain forest sits at an altitude of between 700–800 m above sea level
, and has a mean annual rainfall of 750–850 mm. In addition to rainfall, Cal Madow receives additional precipitation
in the form of fog
and winter rains, which sustain isolated forests of juniperus, buxus
etc. Mist also appears to be important in the distribution of juniperus (dayib), one of the species locals use for timber. For timber production, the buxus (dhoqos), buxus and celtis (boodaar) poles are cut from living trees in the evergreen forest
. The discovery of the locust bean (ceratonia), lavender
s and many other plant species has emphasized the many links the Cal Madow highlands have with the Mediterranean region.
Despite the current changes in land use, Cal Madow has internationally valuable unexploited mineral deposits and unique natural habitats. It is considered a key area for oil exploration, and has a petroleum
system identical to and formerly contiguous with those within the Republic of Yemen
. Florally, Cal Madow has approximately 1,000 plant species, 200 of which are only found this mountain range.
Cal Madow and adjacent areas also have richer fauna
than many other parts of Somalia, and harbor some of the rarest and most localized of Somalia's endemic animal species. Here, linnet
s (warsanghelia johannis), pigeons (acanthus olivae) and golden-winged grosbeak
s can be observed, as can antelopes such as the beira
(dorcatragus megalotis), and different sub-species of gazelle
.
Cal Madow's environment has suffered greatly in recent years along with its ecology
, much of which is unique to it. Only a fraction of the flora remains, and its distribution remains sparse and unprotected. Although local knowledge of natural resources endemic to the area is great, agricultural and social projects as well as United Nations
and foreign-aided development schemes usually fail to consider or make use of this insight.
Detailed conservation studies of the Cal Madow mountain range are needed to ascertain the present status of these areas, and to provide guidelines for and highlight the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices in the face of scarce forest resources. With a lack of proper utilization and conservation, the local plant life is threatened and therefore so is the livestock which depends on it. The numerous under-exploited plants indigenous to Cal Madow ensure that a proper study and assessment would yield benefits both to the region's human inhabitants and medical science in general.
The flora of Somalia, much of which constitutes unique genetic resources, contains more than 3000 species of vascular plant
s, and is thus much richer than that of the Sahel
region in general. Of the 156 plant families observed in Somalia, about 21% are restricted to the northern part of the country, while 11% are found in the south. Somalia houses a greater number of endemic plant species, many of which grow in the northern and eastern regions, notably in Cal Madow. Most of these species are herbs not found anywhere else in the world.
In January 1995, a team of botanists led by Dr. Mats Thulin of Uppsala University
in Sweden
visited the Cal Madow range on behalf of the Flora Somalia Project based in Uppsala
. The study they conducted constituted the most extensive botanical survey ever done in the area, with about eight new species of plant discovered in the process.
Furthermore, the area houses an important germplasm
, which requires protection from overexploitation
and destruction by humans. On the basis of the recent botanical survey in Cal Madow, the team recommended that the local forest should be conserved as a national monument
, as it plays an important role in the mountain range's ecosystem
and represents a valuable natural resource
.
In addition, the forests offer unique opportunities for education and research. The agricultural benefit of clearing the forests, on the other hand, are negligible. The development of a wildlife reserve would thus be indicated in these areas. International support should encourage the development of a study center, which would increase awareness of the value of the forest and provide long-term employment benefits. Some of the degraded forest areas could thereby be brought to a more natural state, while other areas would be developed for timber
, fuelwood
and honey
production. Improved in the efficiency of the present farming, education and medical facilities are also crucial to the success of the proposed wildlife reserve.
Mountain range
A mountain range is a single, large mass consisting of a succession of mountains or narrowly spaced mountain ridges, with or without peaks, closely related in position, direction, formation, and age; a component part of a mountain system or of a mountain chain...
in northeastern Somalia
Somalia
Somalia , officially the Somali Republic and formerly known as the Somali Democratic Republic under Socialist rule, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. Since the outbreak of the Somali Civil War in 1991 there has been no central government control over most of the country's territory...
, extending from several kilometers west of Bosaso to northwest of Erigavo. Its peak sits at almost 2500 m in Shimbiris
Shimbiris
Mount Shimbiris is the highest peak in Somalia. It sits at an altitude of above sea level. It is located in the Cal Madow mountain range in northern Somalia, in the Sanaag region. SRTM data shows that its often quoted elevation of 2,410m is slightly low....
, northwest of Erigavo. Cal Madow was a tourist destination in the late 1980s, but the Somali government failed to allocate enough resources to its development. It was mainly the local Sanaag
Sanaag
Sanaag is an administrative region in northern Somalia. Its capital city is Erigavo.Sanaag has a long coastline facing the Gulf of Aden to the north, and is bordered by the Somali regions of Woqooyi Galbeed, Togdheer, Sool and Bari....
region's population that preserved its habitat despite facing future risks of deforestation
Deforestation
Deforestation is the removal of a forest or stand of trees where the land is thereafter converted to a nonforest use. Examples of deforestation include conversion of forestland to farms, ranches, or urban use....
.
Ecology
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
, and has a mean annual rainfall of 750–850 mm. In addition to rainfall, Cal Madow receives additional precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
in the form of fog
Fog
Fog is a collection of water droplets or ice crystals suspended in the air at or near the Earth's surface. While fog is a type of stratus cloud, the term "fog" is typically distinguished from the more generic term "cloud" in that fog is low-lying, and the moisture in the fog is often generated...
and winter rains, which sustain isolated forests of juniperus, buxus
Buxus
Buxus is a genus of about 70 species in the family Buxaceae. Common names include box or boxwood ....
etc. Mist also appears to be important in the distribution of juniperus (dayib), one of the species locals use for timber. For timber production, the buxus (dhoqos), buxus and celtis (boodaar) poles are cut from living trees in the evergreen forest
Evergreen forest
An temperate evergreen forest is a forest consisting entirely or mainly of evergreen trees that retain green foliage all year round. Such forests exist in the tropics primarily as broadleaf evergreens, and in temperate and boreal latitudes primarily as coniferous evergreens.-Tropical evergreen...
. The discovery of the locust bean (ceratonia), lavender
Lavender
The lavenders are a genus of 39 species of flowering plants in the mint family, Lamiaceae. An Old World genus, distributed from Macaronesia across Africa, the Mediterranean, South-West Asia, Arabia, Western Iran and South-East India...
s and many other plant species has emphasized the many links the Cal Madow highlands have with the Mediterranean region.
Despite the current changes in land use, Cal Madow has internationally valuable unexploited mineral deposits and unique natural habitats. It is considered a key area for oil exploration, and has a petroleum
Petroleum
Petroleum or crude oil is a naturally occurring, flammable liquid consisting of a complex mixture of hydrocarbons of various molecular weights and other liquid organic compounds, that are found in geologic formations beneath the Earth's surface. Petroleum is recovered mostly through oil drilling...
system identical to and formerly contiguous with those within the Republic of Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
. Florally, Cal Madow has approximately 1,000 plant species, 200 of which are only found this mountain range.
Cal Madow and adjacent areas also have richer fauna
Fauna
Fauna or faunæ is all of the animal life of any particular region or time. The corresponding term for plants is flora.Zoologists and paleontologists use fauna to refer to a typical collection of animals found in a specific time or place, e.g. the "Sonoran Desert fauna" or the "Burgess shale fauna"...
than many other parts of Somalia, and harbor some of the rarest and most localized of Somalia's endemic animal species. Here, linnet
Linnet
The Linnet is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.The Linnet derives its scientific name from its fondness for hemp and its English name from its liking for seeds of flax, from which linen is made.- Description :...
s (warsanghelia johannis), pigeons (acanthus olivae) and golden-winged grosbeak
Grosbeak
Grosbeak is a form taxon containing several species of seed-eating passerine birds with large beaks. Although they all belong to the superfamily Passeroidea, they are not a natural group but rather a polyphyletic assemblage of distantly related songbirds....
s can be observed, as can antelopes such as the beira
Beira (antelope)
The Beira is a small antelope that inhabits arid regions of Somalia, Djibouti, and eastern Ethiopia.The Beira stands high at the shoulder and weighs between . It has a coarse, red-grey coat with a yellow-red face. It has long, ears and the males of the species have short, straight horns...
(dorcatragus megalotis), and different sub-species of gazelle
Gazelle
A gazelle is any of many antelope species in the genus Gazella, or formerly considered to belong to it. Six species are included in two genera, Eudorcas and Nanger, which were formerly considered subgenera...
.
Environmental protection
Ecology
Ecology is the scientific study of the relations that living organisms have with respect to each other and their natural environment. Variables of interest to ecologists include the composition, distribution, amount , number, and changing states of organisms within and among ecosystems...
, much of which is unique to it. Only a fraction of the flora remains, and its distribution remains sparse and unprotected. Although local knowledge of natural resources endemic to the area is great, agricultural and social projects as well as United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
and foreign-aided development schemes usually fail to consider or make use of this insight.
Detailed conservation studies of the Cal Madow mountain range are needed to ascertain the present status of these areas, and to provide guidelines for and highlight the benefits of sustainable agricultural practices in the face of scarce forest resources. With a lack of proper utilization and conservation, the local plant life is threatened and therefore so is the livestock which depends on it. The numerous under-exploited plants indigenous to Cal Madow ensure that a proper study and assessment would yield benefits both to the region's human inhabitants and medical science in general.
The flora of Somalia, much of which constitutes unique genetic resources, contains more than 3000 species of vascular plant
Vascular plant
Vascular plants are those plants that have lignified tissues for conducting water, minerals, and photosynthetic products through the plant. Vascular plants include the clubmosses, Equisetum, ferns, gymnosperms and angiosperms...
s, and is thus much richer than that of the Sahel
Sahel
The Sahel is the ecoclimatic and biogeographic zone of transition between the Sahara desert in the North and the Sudanian Savannas in the south.It stretches across the North African continent between the Atlantic Ocean and the Red Sea....
region in general. Of the 156 plant families observed in Somalia, about 21% are restricted to the northern part of the country, while 11% are found in the south. Somalia houses a greater number of endemic plant species, many of which grow in the northern and eastern regions, notably in Cal Madow. Most of these species are herbs not found anywhere else in the world.
Botanical survey
Uppsala University
Uppsala University is a research university in Uppsala, Sweden, and is the oldest university in Scandinavia, founded in 1477. It consistently ranks among the best universities in Northern Europe in international rankings and is generally considered one of the most prestigious institutions of...
in Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
visited the Cal Madow range on behalf of the Flora Somalia Project based in Uppsala
Uppsala
- Economy :Today Uppsala is well established in medical research and recognized for its leading position in biotechnology.*Abbott Medical Optics *GE Healthcare*Pfizer *Phadia, an offshoot of Pharmacia*Fresenius*Q-Med...
. The study they conducted constituted the most extensive botanical survey ever done in the area, with about eight new species of plant discovered in the process.
Furthermore, the area houses an important germplasm
Germplasm
A germplasm is a collection of genetic resources for an organism. For plants, the germplasm may be stored as a seed collection or, for trees, in a nursery.-See also:*Germ plasm, the germ cell determining zone...
, which requires protection from overexploitation
Overexploitation
Overexploitation, also called overharvesting, refers to harvesting a renewable resource to the point of diminishing returns. Sustained overexploitation can lead to the destruction of the resource...
and destruction by humans. On the basis of the recent botanical survey in Cal Madow, the team recommended that the local forest should be conserved as a national monument
National monument
A National monument is a monument constructed in order to commemorate something of national importance such as a war or the country's founding. The term may also refer to a specific monument status, such as a National Heritage Site, which most national monuments are by reason of their cultural...
, as it plays an important role in the mountain range's ecosystem
Ecosystem
An ecosystem is a biological environment consisting of all the organisms living in a particular area, as well as all the nonliving , physical components of the environment with which the organisms interact, such as air, soil, water and sunlight....
and represents a valuable natural resource
Natural resource
Natural resources occur naturally within environments that exist relatively undisturbed by mankind, in a natural form. A natural resource is often characterized by amounts of biodiversity and geodiversity existent in various ecosystems....
.
In addition, the forests offer unique opportunities for education and research. The agricultural benefit of clearing the forests, on the other hand, are negligible. The development of a wildlife reserve would thus be indicated in these areas. International support should encourage the development of a study center, which would increase awareness of the value of the forest and provide long-term employment benefits. Some of the degraded forest areas could thereby be brought to a more natural state, while other areas would be developed for timber
Timber
Timber may refer to:* Timber, a term common in the United Kingdom and Australia for wood materials * Timber, Oregon, an unincorporated community in the U.S...
, fuelwood
Firewood
Firewood is any wood-like material that is gathered and used for fuel. Generally, firewood is not highly processed and is in some sort of recognizable log or branch form....
and honey
Honey
Honey is a sweet food made by bees using nectar from flowers. The variety produced by honey bees is the one most commonly referred to and is the type of honey collected by beekeepers and consumed by humans...
production. Improved in the efficiency of the present farming, education and medical facilities are also crucial to the success of the proposed wildlife reserve.