Mount Karthala

{{Infobox mountain

| name = Mount Karthala

| photo = Mount Karthala (11000398163).jpg

| photo_caption = Mount Karthala aerial view.

| elevation_m = 2361

| elevation_ref = [http://www.peaklist.org/WWlists/ultras/africa.html Listed as "Le Kartala" on Peaklist.org] Retrieved 27 September 2011

| prominence_m = 2361

| prominence_ref =

| map = Comoros

| listing = Ultra
Country high point

| country = Comoros

| state = Grande Comore

| state_type = Island

| coordinates = {{coord|-11.76028|43.35306|type:mountain_scale:100000_region:KM-G |format=dms |display=inline,title}}

| coordinates_ref = [{{geonameslink|gnid=921841|name=Karthala}} Karthala] in [{{geonamesabout}} Geonames.org (cc-by)]

| type = Shield volcano (active)

| last_eruption = January 2007

| embedded = {{Designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = Ramsar

| designation1_offname = Le Karthala

| designation1_date = 12 November 2006

| designation1_number = 1649{{Cite web|title=Le Karthala|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1649|accessdate=25 April 2018}}}}

}}

Mount Karthala or Karthola ({{langx|ar|القرطالة}} Al Qirṭālah) is an active volcano and the highest point of the Comoros at {{Convert|2361|m|ft|0|abbr=on}} above sea level. It is the southernmost and larger of the two shield volcanoes forming Grande Comore island, the largest island in the nation of Comoros. The Karthala volcano is very active, having erupted more than 20 times since the 19th century. Frequent eruptions have shaped the volcano's 3 km by 4 km summit caldera, but the island has largely escaped broad destruction. Eruptions on April 17, 2005 and May 29, 2006 ended a period of quiet.

Volcanic activity

File:Karthala MODIS 20051125.jpg

=April 2005 eruption=

File:Karthala volcano-Comoros.jpg The eruption, which carried a risk of lava flows and deadly volcanic gas, caused the evacuation of 30,000 residents. The crater was clearly changed by the eruption. A grey field of ash surrounds the crater and the caldera itself seems larger and deeper. The crater lake, which formed after Karthala's last eruption in 1991 and once dominated the caldera, is now gone completely. In its place were rough, dark grey rocks, possibly cooling lava or rubble from the collapsed crater.

=May 2006 activity=

On May 29, Reuters reported that residents of Moroni could see lava spewing at the top of the volcano.{{cite news |title=Comoros volcano tremors grow stronger, more frequent |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-comoros-volcano-idUSL149840220070114 |access-date=25 April 2021 |work=Reuters |date=21 January 2007}} Within a few days the volcanic activity subsided.

Flora and fauna

The mountain is covered by intact moist evergreen forest from 1200 metres to about 1800 metres above sea-level. Higher up the vegetation consists of stunted trees and heathland where the giant heather Erica comorensis grows.{{cite book |title=Issues in Global Environment—Biology and Geoscience: 2013 Edition |date=1 May 2013 |publisher=ScholarlyEditions |isbn=978-1-4901-0964-0 |page=763 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=A-3SkjevVgkC |access-date=17 December 2021 |language=en}} The mountain's forest is threatened by logging and the spread of agriculture. Many of the species found on the mountain are unique to the Comoros and four bird species are found only on the slopes of Mount Karthala: Grand Comoro drongo, Humblot's flycatcher, Karthala scops owl, and Karthala white-eye.

=Important Bird Area=

A {{convert|14,228|ha|abbr=on|adj=on}} tract encompassing the upper slopes and summit of the mountain has been designated an Important Bird Area (IBA) by BirdLife International, because it supports populations of Comoros blue pigeons, Comoros fodies, Comoros olive pigeons, Comoros thrushes, Grand Comoro brush warblers, Grand Comoro bulbuls, Grand Comoro drongos, Humblot's flycatchers, Humblot's sunbirds, Karthala scops owls, Karthala white-eyes, and Malagasy harriers.{{cite web |url=http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/karthala-mountains-iba-comoros|title= Karthala Mountains|author= |date=2021|website= BirdLife Data Zone|publisher= BirdLife International|access-date= 1 March 2021}}

Karthala National Park

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Karthala National Park

| alt_name = Parc National du Karthala

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| coordinates = {{coord|11|46|S|43|21|E}}

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| area_ha = 26214

| designation = National park

| authorized =

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| designated = 2010

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| administrator = Comoros National Parks Authority

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| embedded = {{Designation list

| embed = yes

| designation1 = Ramsar

| designation1_date = 12 November 2006

| designation1_number = 1649{{Cite web|title=Le Karthala Ramsar Site|website=Ramsar Sites Information Service|url=https://rsis.ramsar.org/ris/1649|accessdate=10 August 2021}}}}

}}

Karthala National Park protects an area of 262.14 km² on the mountain. It was designated in 2010.UNEP-WCMC (2021). Protected Area Profile for Parc National du Karthala from the World Database of Protected Areas. Accessed 10 August 2021. [https://www.protectedplanet.net/555576145]

Notes

References

{{cite gvp|vnum=233010|name=Karthala}}
{{WWF ecoregion|name=Comoros forests|id=at0105}} Downloaded 27/02/07.