Rwenzori Mountains (Mountains of the Moon): Headwaters of the White Nile

Abstract

The Rwenzori Mountains, Ptolemy’s legendary Mountains of the Moon, were created in the late Pliocene (less than 5 Ma bp) and stretch along the border between western Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo. The landscape has been sculptured by repeated growth of glaciers, resulting in numerous lakes and six separate mountains rising over 4,500 m asl. Apart from being considered the (highest) source of the White Nile, the range is also renowned for its high level of endemicity, especially with regard to the terrestrial biota. In this chapter, we sketch the history of exploration, and summarize the main characteristics of Rwenzori’s terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. We also point out some highlights in the paleoclimatic history of the range.