Nature in Your Sites/Location

The red legged millipede (epibolus pulcripes), nicknamed 'Mombasa Express' by tourists in Bamburi Haller Park and known in Swahili as 'Jongoo' has contributed immensely to restoration of Bamburi limestone quarries at the coast of Kenya. The millipede feeds on needle-like leaves of Casuarina equisetifolia tree, a pioneer tree used to rehabilitate the barren quarry landscapes after mining. The millipede then drops faecal matter-humus in the quarry floor which helps to build soil for biodiversity. During the rains millipedes resurface and mates on Casuarina leaves. During dry spell millipedes burry under the foliage and create soil. The males are shinny black than females but the females have stronger bodies than males and carry the males during mating. They are the builders of Progress, transforming Bamburi quarries into ecosystems!

By Albert Musando, Kenya