Kenya: Tsavo West NP – Mzima Springs
Another natural attraction in the Tsavo West national park are the Mzima Springs. The four springs come from a super massive underground reservoir which coincidentally is related to the lava flows abundant in the park (see previous post). The lava is too porous to retain water and the water seeps quickly into the underground reservoir, accumulating there for 25 years before percolating at Mzima Springs in the southern part of the national park. Volcanic filtration results in ultra clear drinkable water and there is even an underwater observatory here to look at the endemic fish. There are also crocs and hippos here, and interestingly, crocodiles often position themselves below the actual springs or small waterfalls and open their jaws and catch fish that way. Also here, we encountered both vervet and Sykes monkeys. The flora is also quite unique here, as rare Raffia palms and fig trees grow in profusion on the banks of the springs. Some of the water from the springs is being directed to Mombasa on the coast as drinking water.
