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• Text account
• Data table and detailed info
• Map
• Reference and further resources

The site was identified as important in 1999 because it was regularly supporting significant populations of the species listed below, meeting ('triggering') IBA criteria.

Populations meeting IBA criteria ('trigger species'):

Species	Current IUCN Red List Category	Season	Year(s)	Population estimate at site	IBA criteria met
Black-necked Grebe Podiceps nigricollis	LC	non-breeding	1990	3,000 individuals	A4i
Greater Flamingo Phoenicopterus roseus	LC	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

The current IUCN Red List category may differ from that which was valid at the time of IBA criteria assessment (1999).

State (condition of the trigger species' habitats)
Habitat	Habitat detail	Reference area (ha)	Actual area (ha)	Habitat quantity (% remaining)	Habitat quality (carrying capacity)	Result
Savanna	Bushland & thicket - evergreen	0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable
Wetlands (inland)	Saline lakes	0	0	good (> 90%)	good (> 90%)	favourable

Pressure (threats to the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Threat level 1	Threat level 2	Timing	Scope	Severity	Result
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - nomadic grazing	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Agricultural expansion and intensification	livestock farming and ranching (includes forest grazing) - small-holder grazing, ranching or farming	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Climate change and severe weather	drought	happening now	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	high
Pollution	excess energy - noise pollution	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Pollution	garbage & solid waste	likely in short term (within 4 years)	majority/most of area/population (50-90%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Residential and commercial development	tourism and recreation areas	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium
Transportation and service corridors	roads and railroads	likely in long term (beyond 4 years)	some of area/population (10-49%)	slow but significant deterioration	medium

Response (conservation actions taken for the trigger species and/or their habitats)
Protected-area designation	Management planning	Other conservation action	Result
Whole area of site (>90%) covered by appropriate conservation designation	A management plan exists but it is out of date or not comprehensive	The conservation measures needed for the site are being comprehensively and effectively implemented	high

For more information about IBA conservation status, please click here

Protected area (PA)	PA designation	PA area (ha)	Relationship of PA with IBA	Overlap of PA 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

Habitat (IUCN level 1)	Habitat detail	Extent (% of site)
Savanna	Bushland & thicket - evergreen	-
Wetlands (inland)	Saline lakes	-

For more information about the IUCN Habitat classification, please click here.

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

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Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2023) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Elmenteita. Downloaded from http://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-elmenteita-iba-kenya on 04/10/2023.