Climate change to blame for flamingo population decline in Lake Nakuru- experts
The ecosystem in Lake
Nakuru National Park has witnessed a drastic change in the last ten years as a
result of climate change.
This has reduced the
terrestrial area that acts as the habitat for various herbivores and carnivores
compared to aquatic life.
Mr. Edward Karanja who
is the park senior warden said climate change has led to rise of water levels
spilling over to residential areas.
The lake size, for
instance, has increased from the initial 44 square kilometers to 80
square kilometers.
Karanja who spoke
during a journalists' science café at the park said the lake increased in depth
instead of decreasing, where it moved from a 4.5meter to 9 meter depth at the centre as of 2022.
Due to increased water
levels, Lake Nakuru has changed from a saline lake to a close to fresh water
lake thereby leading to presence of different types of fish including the Nile
Tilapia and some fresh water birds.
According to
scientists, the changed water PH in Lake Nakuru has greatly affected the
population of the Pink Flamingo which survives in saline water and feeds on a
specific algae called Spirogyra or the green Algae.
This algae does not
survive on fresh water and this has lead to migration of flamingos to Lake
Natron in Tanzania.
"The Increase in
the quantity of water has altered the flamingo habitat which has lead to
reduced number of flamingos in the lake that was initially popular for the
birds," Said Karanja
Joseph Edebe, a
scientist from Wildlife Research Institute(WRI) in Naivasha, said that the
increased water levels has neutralized the waters, introducing new fish species
as evident from the increased number of pelican birds that feed on them.
"The lake is
exhibiting characteristics of a freshwater lake though it can never be fresh,
the PH has gone down from 10.5 to 9 and we are seeing birds associated with
fish. However, it is a saline lake,
there are some parts you will find some plants associated with fresh
water," Said Edebe.
Lake Nakuru is a
critical protected area and a sanctuary not only for the flamingos but also to
the white rhinos and the Rhodes giraffe species
Dr. Judith Nyunja, the
Principal Scientist at WRI, said Lake Nakuru has been recognised globally as
the wetland of international importance because of its biodiversity
The scientist adds that
they are still doing more research on how they can scientifically propagate the
Green Algae that is fed by the flamingos since the natural ones have been
destroyed by the fresh characteristics being exhibited by the lake.
"In the past years
we have seen climatic changes resulting in increased water levels which has
affected the extent of the lake which reduced the quality of water. The water quality
has been influenced by the rising water levels resulting into a significant
reduction in the number of birds," said Dr. Nyunja.
The water body has been
restructured in terms of the circuits after the initial road network in the
park was covered by water including offices and the main gate, an impact that
led to loss of more than Ksh.400 million.
On matters flamingoes,
Dr. Judith adds, "when we had significant dilution of water, it meant that
the green algae was not able to be propagated in Lake Nakuru System and so
there was a crash in terms of the food that the flamingos would feed on and
therefore we lost quite a big number of flamingos".
The scientist observed
that there was a need for the management and scientists to keep monitoring the
water PH. in Lake Nakuru in order to maintain and increase the flagship species
in the Lake Nakuru ecosystems.
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