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| Cal Madow | |
|---|---|
 Overview of the Cal Madow mountains | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,410 metres (7,907 ft)[1] |
| Coordinates | 10°44′09″N47°14′42″E / 10.73583°N 47.24500°E /10.73583; 47.24500 |
| Naming | |
| Native name | |
| Geography | |
  Cal Madow Location inSanaag | |
| Location | Sanaag |
| Country | Somaliland |
| Parent range | Ogo Mountains |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Hike |
Cal Madow (alsoCalmadow, Al Madow, Al Medu, or Al Mado;Somali:Buuraha Calmadow;Arabic:عَلَمْدُو,romanized: ʿAlamdū) is amountain range inSomaliland.[2] It stretches across the area ofSanaag. Its peak sits at almost 2,500 m (8,200 ft) inShimbiris, northwest ofErigavo. Cal Madow was a tourist destination in the late 1980s. The local population of theSanaag region is primarily responsible for preserving the habitat, which continues to face the risk ofdeforestation.
The dense mountain forest sits at an altitude of between 700–800 m (2,300–2,600 ft) abovesea level, and has a mean annual rainfall of 750–850 mm (30–33 in). In addition to rainfall, Cal Madow receives additionalprecipitation in the form offog and winter rains, which sustain isolated forests ofJuniperus procera,Buxus hildebrandtii, and others. Mist also appears to be important in the distribution of juniperus (dayib), one of the species locals use for timber. For timber production, the buxus (dhoqos), buxus andceltis (boodaar) poles are cut from living trees in theevergreen forest. The discovery of thelocust bean (Ceratonia oreothauma),lavenders and many other plant species has emphasized the many links the Cal Madow highlands have with theMediterranean region. TheLamadaya waterfalls has one of the best-known sceneries in Cal Madow.
Despite the current changes in land use, Cal Madow has internationally valuable unexploited mineral deposits and unique natural habitats. It is considered a key area foroil exploration, and has apetroleum system identical to, and formerly contiguous with, those within the Republic ofYemen. Florally, Cal Madow has approximately 1,000 plant species, 200 of which are only found on this mountain range. The flora of Somaliland, much of which constitutes uniquegenetic resources, contains more than 3000 species ofvascular plants, and is thus much richer than that of theSahel region in general. Of the 156 plant families observed in Somalia, about 21% are restricted to Somalia, while 11% are found in the south. Somalia houses a greater number of endemic plant species, many of which grow in the northern and eastern regions, notably in Cal Madow. Most of these species are herbs not found anywhere else in the world.[citation needed]
Cal Madow and adjacent areas also have richerfauna than many other parts ofHorn of Africa, and harbor some of the rarest and most localized of Somali endemic animal species. Here,Warsangli linnet (Carduelis johannis),pigeons (acanthus olivae) and golden-wingedgrosbeaks can be observed, as can antelopes such as thebeira (dorcatragus megalotis), and differentsubspecies ofgazelles.
In January 1995, a team ofbotanists led by Dr. Mats Thulin ofUppsala University inSweden visited the Cal Madow range on behalf of the Flora of Somalia project based inUppsala. The study they conducted under the guidance of Somali Prof. Ahmed Warfa (Department of Botany and Range, Somali National University) constituted the most extensive botanical survey ever done in the area, with about eight new species of plants discovered in the process .[citation needed]
Furthermore, the area houses an importantgermplasm, which requires protection fromoverexploitation and destruction by humans. On the basis of the recent botanical survey in Cal Madow, the team recommended that the local forest should be conserved as anational monument, as it plays an important role in the mountain range'secosystem and represents a valuablenatural resource.
