The park is an important water catchment providing water to the Tana and Arthi rivers and part of central rift and northern drainage basins. Above the forest is a belt of bamboo, a favourite haunt of the Bongo, a rare and elusive forest antelope. At 10,000ft. the bamboo gives way to moorland, home to eland, spotted and melanistic serval cats. Other features are the giant alpine varieties of lobelia, groundsel and heather. The park is surrounded by a predominantly indigenous forest, whose management is under an MoU between KWS and the Forest Department.
Animal life is most abundant in the forest zone.
Large mammals are represented by elephants, buffalo, bongo and black rhino among others. Carnivores include lion and leopard, whereas primates are represented by baboon, black and white colobus and sykes monkeys. The park is rich in bird life with over 250 species recorded. The Jackson's Francolin is endemic. Prominent birds include sparrow hawk, African goshawk, eagles, francolins, sunbirds and plovers.