The “dying” king muuru of meru

The giant Meru oak tree popularly known as “ King Muuru” is dying out slowly. This giant tree (King Muuru) is found in lower Imenti forest, which is part of Mt Kenya forest. The tree is about 300m from the forest station office. It belongs to the oak tree species called vitex keniensis. According to sources from the nearby forest station office the tree is estimated to be about 300 years old. It is a very huge tree that will require about 10 adult men to circle it round with their hands joined together.

Smart and beautiful kind of natural manicured lawn with fresh green grasses about 20m squared, surrounds the gigantic tree from its base. It appears as if nature had decided that no other tree or any other vegetation apart from the fresh green grass should sprout out near the giant “King” tree.

The sad story about the tree is that it has got a huge hollow inside, which is eating & killing it slowly from the inside and it might one-day fall. The hollow has got a natural opening that serves as an entrance and it’s at the base. The entrance is big enough to allow an average adult human to go inside and about 5 of them can be accommodated inside comfortably.