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Year of most recent IBA criteria assessment: 2001

Populations of IBA trigger species

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s) of estimate	Population estimate	IBA Criteria Triggered
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	non-breeding	1990	3,000 individuals	A4i
Phoenicopterus ruber	NR	non-breeding	1993	23,800 individuals	A4i
Lesser Flamingo Phoeniconaias minor	NT	non-breeding	2000	588,400 individuals	A1, A4i
African Spoonbill Platalea alba	LC	non-breeding	1994	260 individuals	A4i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	non-breeding	1992	11,800 individuals	A4i
Great White Pelican Pelecanus onocrotalus	LC	breeding	1999	8,000 breeding pairs	A4i
Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta	LC	non-breeding	1997	4,200 individuals	A4i
Grey-crested Helmetshrike Prionops poliolophus	NT	resident	1999	present	A1, A2
Jackson's Widowbird Euplectes jacksoni	NT	resident	1999	present	A1, A2
A4iii Species group - waterbirds	n/a	non-breeding	-	500,000-999,999 individuals	A4iii

Note: This table presents the IBA criteria triggered and the species that triggered then at the time of assessment, the current IUCN Red List category may vary from that which was in place at that time.

For more information about the IBA assessment process and criteria please click here

Threats to the site (pressure)
Threat Level 1	Threat Level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	annual & perennial non-timber crops - shifting agriculture	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Energy production and mining	mining and quarrying	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Human intrusions and disturbance	recreational activities	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Invasive and other problematic species and genes	invasive non-native/alien species/diseases - named species	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Natural system modifications	other ecosystem modifications	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Pollution	garbage & solid waste	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	moderate to rapid deterioration	high
Residential and commercial development	commercial and industrial development	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	housing and urban areas	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	happening now	whole area/population (>90%)	very rapid to severe deterioration	very high

Condition of habitat (state)
Habitat	Habitat Detail	Reference Area (ha)	Actual Area (ha)	% of habitat remaining	% of carrying capacity (overall)	Result
Wetlands (inland)	Saline lakes	0	0	poor (40-69%)	poor (40-69%)	very unfavourable

Conservation actions taken at site (response)
Conservation Designation	Management Planning	Conservation Action	Result
Little/none of site covered (<10%)	A comprehensive and appropriate management plan exists that aims to maintain or improve the populations of qualifying bird species	Substantive conservation measures are being implemented but these are not comprehensive and are limited by resources and capacity	low

For more information about IBA monitoring please click here

Protection status:

Protected Area	Designation	Area (ha)	Relationship with IBA	Overlap with IBA (ha)
Lake Elementeita Wildlife Sanctuary	Game Sanctuary	2,534	protected area contained by site	2,534
Lake Elementaita	National Sanctuary	2,534	protected area overlaps with site	0
Kenya Lake System in the Great Rift Valley	World Heritage Site (natural or mixed)	32,034	protected area overlaps with site	7,200

IUCN Habitat	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Savanna	Bushland & thicket - evergreen	-
Wetlands (inland)	Saline lakes	-

For further information about the habitat classification please click here.

Land-use	Extent (% of site)
agriculture	-
urban/industrial/transport	-
tourism/recreation	-
forestry	-

For further information about the land use classification please click here.

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2020) Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lake Elmenteita. Downloaded from http://www.birdlife.org on 28/10/2020.