Lake Elmenteita (Kenya) IBA | Summary | BirdLife International

KE046

Lake Elmenteita This is an IBA in Danger!

Current view: summary

Country/territory: Kenya

IBA criteria met: A1, A2, A4i, A4iii (1999)
For more information about IBA criteria, please click here

Area: 7,200 hectares (72.00 km²)

NatureKenya

IBA conservation status
Year of assessment (most recent)	State (condition)	Pressure (threat)	Response (action)
2023	poor	very high	high
For more information about IBA monitoring, please click here

Site summary

Lake Elementaita (IBA KE046) is among a chain of shallow alkaline lakes straddling the Rift Valley floor. The lake is a designated Important Bird Area (IBA) since 1999, Key Biodiversity Area (KBA) since 2016, and a Ramsar Site (wetland of international importance) since 2005. The lake was gazetted as a National Wildlife Sanctuary in 2010 and listed together with Lakes Nakuru (IBA KE049) and Bogoria (IBA KE045) as the Kenya Lakes System in the Great Rift Valley World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 2011. It is a crucial natural habitat hosting globally and regionally threatened speciessuch as Greater and Lesser Flamingo, Great White Pelican, African Spoonbill, Pied Avocet as well as other water bird species that occur in smaller populations. Rothschild’s giraffe as well as Elands, Buffaloes, Common Zebras, Impalas, Reedbuck, bushbuck and Colobus monkeys among others.

Acknowledgements

We aknowledge the conservation community for the unanimous effort in ensuring that the KBA is well taken care of and remains intact despite the threats.

Recommended citation
BirdLife International (2024) Important Bird Area factsheet: Lake Elmenteita (Kenya). Downloaded from https://datazone.birdlife.org/site/factsheet/lake-elmenteita-iba-kenya on 22/12/2024.