with montane forests on their slopes. The northern sector of Virunga National Park is contiguous with Uganda's Semuliki park, the Rwenzori Mountains National Park, and the central sector with Queen Elizabeth National Park. The southern sector borders Rwanda's Volcanoes National Park. Climate The climate in the Albertine Rift is influenced by the movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and the El Niño–Southern Oscillation. March to mid May and September to November are the main rainy seasons. Mean monthly rainfall in the savanna around Lake Edward is ; this is the driest part of the landscape. The northern sector receives a monthly mean precipitation of up to , and the southern sector of up to . Average temperatures in lower altitudes vary from , and in higher altitudes from , rarely dropping below . Flora Virunga National Park's flora encompasses 2,077 plant species, including 264 tree species and 230 plants that are endemic to the Albertine Rift. The plains of Virunga National Park are dominated by wetlands and grasslands with papyrus sedge (Cyperus papyrus), jointed flatsedge (C. articulatus), common reed (Phragmites mauritanica), sacaton grasses (Sporobolus consimilis), ambatch (Aeschynomene elaphroxylon), conkerberry (Carissa spinarum), paperbark thorn (Vachellia sieberiana) and kowai fruit (Coccinia grandis). Remains of dicots such as African caper (Capparis tomentosa), Maerua species, wild cucurbits, and nightshades were found in dung balls of African elephants (Loxodonta) that play a significant role for seed dispersal in the grasslands. The montane forest between in the southern sector is dominated by Ficalhoa laurifolia and Podocarpus milanjianus with up to high trees. African alpine bamboo (Yushania alpina) grows at altitudes of . The vegetation above is subalpine with foremost African redwood (Hagenia abyssinica) growing up to . Tree heath (Erica arborea), heather and mosses cover humid slopes up to elevation. Senecio and Lobelia species grow on vast clearings and attain heights of up to . Fauna Virunga National Park's faunal species include 196 mammals, 706 bird species, 109 reptiles and 65 amphibians as of 2012. Mammals Primates present in the national park include mountain gorilla (G. b. beringei), common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes), golden monkey, red-tailed monkey (Cercopithecus ascanius), Dent's mona monkey (C. denti), blue monkey (C. mitis), Hamlyn's monkey (C. hamlyni), De Brazza's monkey (C. neglectus), Central African red colobus (Procolobus foai), mantled guereza (Colobus guereza), olive baboon (Papio anubis) and grey-cheeked mangabey (Lophocebus albigena). African bush elephant (Loxodonta africana), hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius) and African buffalo