Flamingoes at Lake Nakuru ‘to become a thing of the past’

The beautiful view of flamingoes at Lake Nakuru could become a thing of the past after the birds’ population reduced significantly following the swelling of the alkaline lake.

According to Government spokesperson, Cyrus Oguna, Lake Nakuru’s area has increased exponentially from 35 square kilometers to 80 square kilometers, consequently engulfing a large part of the Lake Nakuru National Park, which, originally, measured 107 square kilometers.

“The number of flamingoes in the lake has reduced sharply from about 1.5 million to less than 100,000,” said Oguna, while addressing journalists in Nakuru on Thursday, November 5.

The government spokesperson said he fears that the flamingo population in Lake Nakuru could reduce even further if the water body continues to swell.

Oguna said the rising waters of Lake Nakuru have not affected the wading birds only but also residents living around the lake.

The government spokesperson said the State is in talks with governmental and non-governmental organisations to find ways they can compensate the affected families.

“We have been providing food and non-food items to the [affected] families living in makeshift camps,” said Oguna.

The spokesperson said the government has also identified former residents who moved to other parts of the Great Rift Valley and western Kenya after being affected by the rising Lake Nakuru waters.

Oguna says, among other contributing factors, human activities, have led to siltation in the lake, resulting in the rising waters. He added that heavy rainfall experienced in the area could also be blamed for the phenomenon.

Besides Lake Nakuru, other water bodies experiencing swelling, include lakes Naivasha, Bogoria, Baringo, Elementaita, Magadi, Victoria, Turkana, Logipi, and Olobollosat.

"The government cannot put a finger on one thing and say: ‘if we remove this, the lakes will stop swelling’. Flooding in different parts of the country has led to the loss of 400 lives since 2019,” said Oguna.