Obudu plateau
| Obudu plateau | ||
|---|---|---|
| location | Cross River , Nigeria | |
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| Coordinates | 6 ° 25 ' N , 9 ° 22' E | |
| surface | 103 km² | |
The Obudu Plateau is a low mountain range in the northeast of the state of Cross River , in southeastern Nigeria . This highland region is a western continuation of the Bamenda highlands on the border with Cameroon .
The cireca 103 km² mountain plateau reaches an average height of around 1500 meters above sea level, with some mountains rising to over 1700 meters above sea level. This makes it one of the highest elevations in Nigeria alongside the Mambilla Plateau and the Belly Plateau . It consists of a mixture of basalt , granite , slate and gneiss rocks and was created in the structure of the bulge of the volcanic chain along the Cameroon line . The age of the basaltic dolerite rocks could be dated to an age of 140 million years, these break through the Precambrian bedrock as dykes . Due to the high precipitation, the rock of the plateau is subject to lateritic weathering .
The Obudu Plateau has a moderate climate due to its altitude, the daily average temperatures reach between 15 and 22 ° C, during the rainy season of the West African monsoons in July to August, while at night temperatures can drop to 5 ° C. The annual rainfall is approx. 4,300 mm.
The Obudu Plateau became internationally known through the Obudu Mountain Run .
Flora and fauna
The flora and fauna of the plateau are among the richest ecosystems in Nigeria. It is covered by a mountain rainforest interspersed with grass and bush savannahs. Numerous species of figs ( Ficus sp. ), The up to 30 meters high Polyscias fulva and the tree fern Cyathea manniana can be found in the forests . The trees are often decorated with epiphytes .
There are small populations of the endangered primates of the cross-river gorilla ( Gorilla gorilla diehli ) and the Prussian monkey ( Cercopithecus preussi ).
A total of 155 were on the plateau bird species including the registered tailed Trogon ( Apaloderma vittatum ) Kehl binding Woodpecker ( Campethera tullbergi ) Bergwaldbülbül ( Andropadus tephrolaemus ) Baglafechtweber ( Ploceus Baglafecht ) Kamerunrötel ( Cossypha isabellae ).
The Obudu Plateau was considered uninhabited until the 1950s, only when a state-owned hotel was founded in 1959 was it opened up and the first roads built. Since then, the population pressure on nature has increased and the ecosystems of the plateau have become more fragmented. Nevertheless, new species can always be discovered, such as B. a new species of frog in the genus Phrynobatrachus in 2011.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Obudu Mountain Resort ( Memento of the original from November 7, 2012 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. on destination Cross River.com.ng (English)
- ↑ Barth N. Ekwueme: Basaltic magmatism related to the early stages of rifting along the Benue Trough: The Obudu dolerites of south-east Nigeria. Geological Journal, 29, 3, pages 269-276, July / September 1994 ( doi : 10.1002 / gj.3350290306 , English)
- ↑ FA Ushie, OL Anike: Lateritic Weathering of Granite-Gneiss in Obudu Plateau Southeastern Nigeria. ( Page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Global Journal of Geological Sciences, 9, 1, 2011 (English)
- ^ Chemical and Mineralogical Deterioration of Basement Schists in Parts of Obudu Plateau, Southeastern Nigeria. ( Memento of the original from March 4, 2016 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Journal of Basic Physical Research, 3, pages 17–23, June 2012 (PDF file; 319 kB)
- ↑ Hike The Obudu Plateau To The Gorilla Camp And Observe Gorillas In Their Natural Habitat on nigeria-direct.com (English)
- ↑ Report on Primate Surveys and Conservation On the Obudu Plateau Cross River State, Nigeria ( page no longer available , search in web archives ) Info: The link was automatically marked as defective. Please check the link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Author: Daniel Louk (The Biodiversity Research Program The Nigerian Conservation Foundation and the Wildlife Conservation Society) (English) (PDF file)
- ↑ Filibus Danjuma Dami, Georgina Samuel Mwansat, Shiiwa A. Manu: The effects of forest fragmentation on species richness on the Obudu Plateau, south-eastern Nigeria. African Journal of Ecology, Volume 51, 1, pages 32–36, March 2013, doi : 10.1111 / aje.12028 (English)
- ↑ David C. Blackburn and Mark-Oliver Rödel: A New Puddle Frog (Phrynobatrachidae: Phrynobatrachus) from the Obudu Plateau in Eastern Nigeria in Herpetologica, pp. 271–287, September 2011, doi : 10.1655 / HERPETOLOGICA-D-10-00046.1 (English)
