Who is the owner of Haller Park?
Who is the owner of Haller Park? Haller Park was established by a business company known as Cementia Holdings which were looking for a location in East Africa to built a cement. Felix Mandl discovered a location 12 kilometres north of Mombasa. Over time, cement production increased from 1.2 million tonnes to 25 million tonnes, and the area quickly turned into a wasteland. The Bamburi Cement Company was dedicated to rehabilitating the quarry, even if it didn’t seem possible. When Rene Haller was promoted to manager in 1959, he was tasked with making the establishment seem better. Rene Haller planted 26 species when he started reforestation in 1959. Out of the 26 trees he planted only three survived which were ; the casuarina, the coconut palm, and the dama
One of the most well-known stops on a Kenya safari tour is Haller Park, which is located in Bamburi, near Mombasa, a seaside town in Kenya. By Mombasa Road, the distance from Nairobi is 497.6 kilometres. The artificial sanctuary was converted from a wasteland used for quarrying to an ecological reserve. Haller Park is now a model for other reclamation projects after receiving the United Nations Environmental Program’s top Global 500 Roll of Honour Awards. Haller park and other historical landmarks like Fort Jesus, are some of the most visited safari tour destinations in the Kenya coast in the town of Mombasa.
limestone quarries which were later transformed into a thriving ecosystem of woodlands, meadows, and ponds with walking pathways where you may watch wildlife in some designated footpaths. Haller park is home to a variety of wildlife, such as serval cats, vervet monkeys, hippos, giraffes, antelope, buffalo, zebras, elands, Sitatunga, and waterbuck, as well as numerous bird species like eagles, sandpipers, weaver, storks, kingfishers, ibis, owls, herons, and many more, this wild safari tour in Kenya is a little different from others. In addition, the park is home to a large number of spiders, millipedes, dung beetles, honey bees, and butterflies. The game refuge, fish farm, crocodile enclosures, giraffe observation area, and palm gardens are some of the park’s sections. The park is not so much a safari destination as it is a zoo.
What to find at Haller Park?
Casuarina
The casuarina plant is a plant that is suited to survive in harsh climatic conditions. Its branches are covered in thick bark on the outside to prevent water from evaporating, giving them a pine needle-like appearance. Five years after planting the casuarina tree, it began to engulf the surrounding area and propagate by seed. The casuarina tree expanded enormously, reaching a height of 30 meters after ten years. Dr. Rene Haller is a Swiss naturalist with training in horticulture and related disciplines. Over the period of years that eventually stretched into decades, she examined and experimented with dozens of different plant species in an effort to determine which ones would thrive in the salinity of the water table and the poor soil. After 20 years, the humus layer was 10 cm deep, and some of the trees had trunk circumferences of 2.4 meters. After twenty years, several of the trees started to fall. All the same, they’d done their job and made a welcoming space for the new plants. The tree trunks were utilised to make firewood and building materials.
Fish ponds
The quarry floor is home to a number of interconnecting tiny lakes, ponds, and swamps that are home to a variety of fish, reptiles, and birds. A fish farm that raises, breeds, and sells fish. Red tilapia, guppies, catfish, and Nile tilapia are among the species found at Haller Park.
Gardens
A beautiful garden with a number of plants of different species were introduced to the Haller Park as part of the quarry rehabilitation. The newly added flora to these parks have created a beautiful landscape. Numerous plant species were added into the botanical gardens during the quarry rehabilitation. Originally, the assortment of plants in these gardens was utilised to add diversity to the forest. These days, the gardens serve a variety of purposes and provide Parks’ operations additional significance, particularly in the area of conservation education.
Crocodiles
In 1975, Haller Park brought in crocodiles from Lake Turkana, Lake Baringo, and the Tana River as eggs and hatchlings for its ponds. Since 1986, a few of the females have been consistently laying eggs, which require artificial incubation due to the quarry’s suboptimal temperature for croc development. The crocodiles are fed by trash from the fish farm and Baobab Trust, a trust farm. The Trust works with Dr. Rene and Haller Park to provide community-based farmer training. These waste materials are transformed by the crocodiles into valuable goods like meat and skins that are fit for human consumption. The Haller Park restaurant which is located inside the park serves crocodile meat.
Wildlife Sanctuary
Some of the highlights of the Kenya safari tour in Haller Park include a buffalo, elands, hippos, Sally, Potty, and a variety of water birds like eagles, herons, egrets, cormorants, and kingfishers. A Verreaux Eagle Owl serves as the host for Owls Banda. Haller park also has a refuge centre for animals that are found hurt, sick, or abandoned in the wild. Ninety crocodiles, including young ones, reside in the Crocodile Pens; the park also has a giraffe feeding platform which is the most like kenya safari tour activity at Haller Park.
A reptiles park
A reptiles park is one of the most modern reptile parks in the area. It is home to rescued reptiles. There are about 20 distinct species of snakes, terrapins, turtles, and lizards can be discovered. Common snakes found in the park include vipers, mambas, cobras, and pythons.
Conference facilities
The conference facilities have an auditorium that can accommodate up to 80 people, situated directly in the middle of the park. The calm environment and the sight of animals and the sounds of nature provide a great environment for brainstorming sessions.
Butterfly pavilion
A butterfly pavilion where butterflies are breed, natured and conserved is located in a botanical park. Enjoy a leisurely stroll through the exhibition house to witness a diverse range of butterfly species .
Forest walks
Visitors on a Kenya safari can enjoy a leisurely stroll through a substantial woodland area on the park’s Forest Walk. The rebuilt quarry is home to mangroves, palm trees, natural shade trees (many of which are rare and endangered), and coastal forests.
