The Lake Baringo In Nandi County

The Lake Baringo In Nandi County 

Some of photos of Lake Baringo

Lake Baringo is, after Lake Turkana, the most northern of the Kenyan Rift Valley lakes, with a surface area of about 130 square kilometres (50 sq mi) and an elevation of about 970 metres (3,180 ft). The lake is fed by several rivers, Molo, Perkerra and Ol Arabel, and has no obvious outlet; the waters are assumed to seep through lake sediments into the faulted volcanic bedrock. It is one of the two freshwater lakes in the Rift Valley in Kenya, the other being Lake Naivasha.[1] It lies off the beaten track in a hot and dusty setting and over 470 species of birds have been recorded there, occasionally including migrating flamingos. A Goliath Heronry is located on a rocky islet in the lake known as Gibraltar.

Description

The lake is part of the East African Rift system. The Tugen Hills, an uplifted fault block of volcanic and metamorphic rocks, lies west of the lake. The Laikipia Escarpment lies to the east.

Water flows into the lake from the Mau Hills and Tugen Hills. It is a critical habitat and refuge for more than 500 species of birds and fauna, some of the migratory waterbird species being significant regionally and globally. The lake also provides an invaluable habitat for seven fresh water fish species. One, Oreochromis niloticus baringoensis (Nile Tilapia), is endemic to the lake. Lake fishing is important to local social and economic development. Additionally the area is a habitat for many species of animals including the hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius), crocodile (Crocodylus niloticus) and many other mammals, amphibians, reptiles and the invertebrate communities.[1][2]

While stocks of Nile Tilapia in the lake are now low, the decline of this species has been mirrored by the success of another, the African Lungfish which was introduced to the lake in 1974 and which now provides the majority of fish output from the lake. Water levels have been reduced by droughts and over-irrigation. The lake is commonly turbid with sediment, partly due to intense soil erosion in the catchment, especially on the Loboi Plain south of the lake.

The lake has several small islands, the largest being Ol Kokwe Island. Ol Kokwe, an extinct volcanic centre related to Korosi volcano north of the lake, has several hot springs and fumaroles, some of which have precipitated sulphur deposits. A group of hot springs discharge along the shoreline at Soro near the northeastern corner of the island.

Several important archaeological and palaeontological sites, some of which have yielded fossil hominoids and hominins, are present in the Miocene to Pleistocene sedimentary sequences of the Tugen Hills.[3][4][5]

The main town near the lake is Marigat, while smaller settlements include Kampi ya Samaki and Loruk. The area is increasingly visited by tourists and is situated at the southern end of a region of Kenya inhabited largely by pastoralist ethnic groups including Il Chamus, Rendille, Turkana and Kalenjin. Accommodation (hotels, self-catering cottages and camping sites) as well as boating services are available at and near Kampi-Ya-Samaki on the western shore, as well as on several of the islands in the lake

The Lake Turkana In Turkana County

The Lake Turkana In Turkana County

Photos Of Lake Turkana

Location of lake Turkana

Lake Turkana  formerly known as Lake Rudolf, is a lake in the Kenyan Rift Valley, with its far northern end crossing into Ethiopia.[1] It is the world's largest permanent desert lake and the world's largest alkaline lake. By volume it is the world's third-largest salt lake[citation needed] after the Caspian Sea and Issyk-Kul (passing the shrinking South Aral Sea), and among all lakes it ranks twenty-fourth. The water is potable but not palatable. It supports a rich lacustrine wildlife. The climate is hot and very dry.

The rocks of the surrounding area are predominantly volcanic. Central Island is an active volcano, emitting vapors. Outcrops and rocky shores are found on the East and South shores of the lake, while dunes, spits and flats are on the West and North, at a lower elevation.
Lake Turkana seen from the South Island.

On-shore and off-shore winds can be extremely strong as the lake warms and cools more slowly than the land. Sudden, violent storms are frequent. Three rivers (the Omo, Turkwel and Kerio) flow into the lake, but lacking outflow its only water loss is by evaporation. Lake volume and dimensions are variable. For example, its level fell by 10 metres between 1975 and 1993.[2]

Due to temperature, aridity and geographic inaccessibility, the lake retains its wild character. Nile crocodiles are found in great abundance on the flats. The rocky shores are home to scorpions and carpet vipers. Although the lake and its environs have been popular for expeditions of every sort under the tutelage of guides, rangers and experienced persons, they certainly must be considered hazardous for unguided tourists.

Lake Turkana National Parks are now listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Sibiloi National Park lies on the lake's eastern shore, while Central Island National Park and South Island National Park lie in the lake. Both are known for their crocodiles.

The Lake Turkana area is regarded by many anthropologists as the cradle of humankind due to the abundance of hominid fossils.

Name

The lake was named Lake Rudolf (in honor of Crown Prince Rudolf of Austria) by Count Sámuel Teleki de Szék and his second-in-command Lieutenant Ludwig Ritter Von Höhnel, a Hungarian and an Austrian, 6 March 1888.[3] They were the first Europeans to have recorded visiting the lake after a long safari across East Africa. Native peoples who live around lake Turkana include the Turkana, Rendille, Gabbra, Daasanach, Hamar Koke, Karo, Nyagatom, Mursi, Surma and Molo. For the location of many of these peoples refer to the dialect map in the article.

J. W. Gregory reported in The Geographical Journal of 1894 that it had been called "'Basso Narok' This means black lake in the samburu language and basso naibor for lake Stefanie meaning white lake in the Samburu language. The Samburu are among the dominant tribes in the lake Turkana region when the explorers came."[4] What the native form of this phrase was, what it might mean and in what language is not clear. The lake kept its European name during the colonial period of British East Africa. After the independence of Kenya, the president, Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, renamed it in 1975 after the Turkana, the predominant tribe there.

At some unknown time the lake acquired an alternate name as the Jade Sea from its turquoise colour seen on approaching from a distance. The colour comes from algae that rise to the surface in calm weather. This is likely also a European name. The Turkana refer to the lake as Anam Ka'alakol, meaning the sea of many fish. It is from the name Ka'alakol that Kalokol, a town on the western shore of Lake Turkana, east of Lodwar, derives its name. The previous indigenous Turkana name for Lake Turkana was Anam a Cheper.The area still sees few visitors, being a two-day drive from Nairobi.The lake is also an imaginary boundary of the Rendille and Borana and Oromo to the Turkana land.The area is basically a clay based soil and there is more alkaline in the sea water.

 Biology

Satellite image of Lake Turkana. Note the jade color. The Omo river enters at the top. The river visible on the lower left is the Turkwel, which has been dammed for hydroelectric power.

 Biomes

The major biomes are the lake itself, which is an aquatic biome, and the surrounding region, which is classified as desert and xeric shrubland. The Chalbi desert is east of the lake. During moister times a dry grassland appears, featuring Aristida adcensionis and A. mutabilis. During drier times the grass disappears. The shrublands contain dwarf shrubs, such as Duosperma eremophilum and Indigofera spinosa. Near the lake are doum palms.

 Plankton

Both phytoplankton and zooplankton are found in the lake.[5] Of the former, cyanobacteria are represented by Microcystis aeruginosa and microalgae by Botryococcus braunii. Also present are Anabaenopsis arnoldii, Planctonema lauterbornii, Oocystis gigas, Sphaerocystis schroeteri, and some others. The zooplankton include copepods, cladocerans and protozoans.

 Fish

Compared to other large African lakes, Turkana has relatively low fish species in total, the lake holds about 50 fish species, including 11 endemics such as the cichlids Haplochromis macconneli, H. rudolfianus and H. turkanae, the barb Barbus turkanae, the robber tetras Brycinus ferox and B. minutus, the Rudolf lates Lates longispinis, and the cyprinid Neobola stellae.[6] Non-endemics include species such as Nile tilapia, bichirs, the elephantfish Mormyrus kannume, African arowana, African knifefish, Distichodus niloticus, the Nile perch, and numerous others.[5][7] During the early Holocene, the water level of lake Turkana was higher, and the lake overflowed into the Nile River, allowing fish and crocodiles access. Consequently, the non-endemic fishes in the lake are mainly riverine species of Nilotic origin.[6] Some of the non-endemics do not breed in the lake, but migrate up the Omo River and other affluents to breed.[6] The lake is heavily fished.

 Birds

The Lake Turkana region is home to hundreds of species of birds native to Kenya.[8] The East African Rift System also serves as a flyway for migrating birds, bringing in hundreds more. The birds are essentially supported by plankton masses in the lake, which also feed the fish.

Some birds more common to Turkana are the Little Stint, the Wood Sandpiper, and the Common Sandpiper. The African Skimmer (Rhyncops flavirostris) nests in the banks of Central Island. The White-breasted Cormorant (Phalacrocorax lucidus) ranges over the lake, as do many other waterbirds. The Greater Flamingo wades in its shallows. Heuglin's Bustard (Neotis heuglinii) is found in the east of the lake region.

 Reptiles

The lake formerly contained Africa's largest population of Nile crocodiles: 14,000, as estimated in a 1968 study by Alistair Graham—see the book 'Eyelids of Morning' for an account of the lake and its crocodiles.

The lake also has a large population of large water turtles particularly in the area of Central Island.

Mammals

Over the dry grasslands ranges a frail population of grazing mammals and predators. The grazers are chiefly Grevy's zebra, Burchell's Zebra, the Beisa Oryx, Grant's Gazelle, the topi and the reticulated giraffe. They are hunted by the lion and the cheetah. Elephants and the black rhinoceros are no longer seen, although Teleki reported seeing (and shooting) many. Closer to the dust is the Cushioned Gerbil (Gerbillus pulvinatus).[citation needed]

 Geology

Lake Turkana is an East African Rift feature.[9] A rift is a weak place in the Earth's crust due to the separation of two tectonic plates, often accompanied by a graben, or trough, in which lake water can collect. The rift began when East Africa, impelled by currents in the mantle,[10] began separating from the rest of Africa, moving to the northeast. Currently the graben is 320 km wide in the north of the lake, 170 km in the south. This rift is one of two, and is called the Great or Eastern Rift. There is another to the west, the Western Rift.

Lake Turkana is a unique feature of the East African landscape. Besides being a permanent desert sea, it is the only sea that retains the waters originating from two separate catchment areas of the Nile. Lake Turkana drainage basin draws its waters mainly from Kenya Highlands and Ethiopian Highlands.

The basement rocks of the region have been dated by two analytical determinations to 522 and 510 million years ago (ma or mya). No rift was in the offing at that time. A rift is signalled by volcanic activity through the weakened crust. The oldest volcanic activity of the region occurred in the Nabwal Hills northeast of Turkana and is dated to 34.8 mya in the late Eocene.[11]

The visible tectonic features of the region result from extensive extrusions of basalt over the Turkana-Omo basin in the window 4.18-3.99 mya.[12] These are called the Gombe Group Basalts. They are subdivided into the Mursi Basalts and the Gombi Basalts.

The two latter basalts are identified as the outcrops that are the rocky mountains and badlands around the lake. In the Omo portion of the basin, of the Mursi Basalts, the Mursi Formation is on the west side of the Omo, the Nkalabong on the Omo, and the Usno and Shungura east of the Omo. Probably the best known of the formations are the Koobi Fora on the east side of Turkana and the Nachukui on the west.

Short-term fluctuations in lake level combined with periodic volcanic ash spewings over the region have resulted in a fortuitous layering of the ground cover over the basal rocks. These horizons can be dated more precisely by chemical analysis of the tuff.[13] As this region is believed to have been an evolutionary nest of Hominins, the dates are important for generating a diachronic array of fossils, both Hominoid and non-Hominoid. Many thousands have been excavated.

Terraces representing ancient shores are visible in the Turkana Basin. The highest is 75 m above the surface of the lake (only approximate, as the lake level fluctuates), which was current about 9500 years ago, at the end of the Pleistocene. It is generally theorized that Turkana was part of the upper Nile system at that time, connecting to Lake Baringo at the southern end and the White Nile in the north, and that volcanic land adjustments severed the connection. Such a hypothesis explains the Nile species in the lake, such as the crocodiles and the Nile Perch.
[edit] Anthropology

Around 2 million–3 million years ago, the lake was larger and the area more fertile, making it a centre for early hominins. Richard Leakey has led numerous anthropological digs in the area which have led to many important discoveries of hominin remains. The two-million-year-old Skull 1470 was found in 1972. It was originally thought to be Homo habilis, but the scientific name Homo rudolfensis derived from the old name of the Lake Rudolf, was proposed in 1986 by V. P. Alexeev. In 1984, the Turkana Boy, a nearly complete skeleton of a Homo erectus boy was discovered by Kamoya Kimeu. More recently, Meave Leakey discovered a 3,500,000-year-old skull there, named Kenyanthropus platyops, which means "The Flat-Faced Man of Kenya".

 Wind power

The Lake Turkana Wind Power consortium (LTWP) plans to provide 300 MW of clean power to Kenya's national electricity grid by tapping the unique wind conditions around the lake.[14] The plan calls for 360 wind turbines, each with a capacity of 850 kilowatts. As of March 2010, the project had found financing, and the Kenyan government will take responsibility for the construction of the transmission lines. If completed, it will become the largest wind power project in Africa

Kiunga Marine National Reserve - Kenya Scuba Diving in Lamu County

Kiunga Marine National Reserve - Kenya Scuba Diving in Lamu County

        Kiunga Marine National Reserve include a chain of about 50 calcareous offshore islands and coral reefs in the Lamu Archipelago, running for some 60km parallel to the coastline off the northern most coast of Kenya and adjacent to Dodori and Boni National Reserves on the mainland. Composed of old, eroded coral, the islands mainly lie inland around 2km offshore and inshore of the fringing reef. They vary in size from a few hundred sq m to 100ha or more. Their walls rise sheer from the surrounding seabed and are usually deeply undercut on the landward side. The larger islands and the more sheltered inner islands are covered with low, tangled thorny vegetation including grass, aloes and creepers. The small outer islands provide nest sites for migratory seabirds. Kiunga Marine National Reserve conserves valuable coral reefs, sea grass meadows and extensive mangrove forests, with their attendant biodiversity and is also a refuge for sea turtles and dugongs.

yatta Public Beach, Mombasa County

The Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach, Mombasa County

                                 

                                         

    


Communities on Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach, Mombasa, Kenya
Camel rides are offered to tourists on the public beach  

 Mombasa is a city located at the Kenyan coast about 432 km south east of Nairobi, the capital of Kenya. Coral reefs, mangrove forests, beaches, lowlands, and kaya forests characterise the area. The main economic activities include tourism, fishing and trade along the coastal areas. Mombasa is a historical trading town that today attracts hundreds of thousands of tourists annually. It is well-known for its beautiful beaches of which Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach (JKPB) is one. It is also the only remaining stretch of beach in Mombasa that is not under private management which means it is especially important to the local community. The rest of the Mombasa shoreline contains may private hotels that block access to the sea.

The high level of development along the beaches of Mombasa has affected species diversity. Furthermore, there are intense conflicts among resource users. Some disputes arise from private companies wanting to develop the public beach into a private hotel. Solid waste on the public beach is also a major problem, despite there being official waste bins provided by the city council. Other factors contributing to the degradation of the public beach area are overcrowding and simply poor planning. Tourists are also being hassled, making the area less attractive for visitors.

Yet the economic potential of Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach is undisputed, if only it can be unlocked to its full extent. Efforts are being made to improve the overall situation. Some of the reefs in Mombasa were declared a Marine National Reserve already in 1986 with a 10 km2 core zone known as the Mombasa Marine National Park. Kenya Wildlife Service manages the area and fishing is prohibited inside the Marine National Park, allowing recovery of the fish populations and the stocks “spill over” into the surrounding areas where fishing occurs. The marine park is also popular among tourists.

A wide range of stakeholders have been identified on the public beach area and they range from the boat owners association, the fishers’ association, the photographers group, the camel riders, the adjacent hotels, Kenya Wildlife Service and many more. The question is whether making Jomo Kenyatta Public Beach a demonstration site can help to solve conflicts and improve better usage of the rich resources that occur there, including cultural resources. Indications are that careful planning of the beach and its surroundings, with the full involvement of all stakeholders will be a step in the right direction. Already debate on how to address the problems on the beach is the topic of several DLIST discussion threads.

This Kisii Town Located In Kisii County.

This Kisii Town Located In Kisii County.

Kisii County is most known for its association with soap-stone, which is extensively used in the production of curios that form a large part of Kenya’s tourism trade merchandise.

Kisii County has a very high population density which ensures that the labour force is sufficient to contribute to production levels in the county. This large labour force is also an indicator of the county’s future production potential and if exploited could see a significant rise in production and thus incomes of the county’s people.

Agriculture is the main economic activity practised by the county’s residents. Cultivated tea, bananas, maize and coffee are among the largest income contributors to the county’s people with Napier grass cultivated to feed the livestock that is mainly reared for dairy production. Further investment into this sector could see the region become a major contributor to Kenya’s food needs.

Commerce also plays a major role in the county’s economy contributing a large part of the incomes earned by the residents of the county. A number of major financial institutions and retail businesses have outlets in the county indicating the vibrancy of the area’s economy. This vibrancy can be enhanced even further by targeted investments aimed at attracting more investors into the county.

The Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park In Kilifi County

 The Kisite Mpunguti Marine Park In Kilifi County

The marine park is located on the south coast, 40km from Ukunda town in Msambeni District of coast province.  The ecosystem covers a marine area with four small islands surrounded by coral-reef. Kisite island is covered in low grass and herbs while Mpunguti Islands have dense coastal equatorial forest. Sea grasses Cymodocea serrulata and Syringodium isoetifolium cover a large area of the sub-littoral zone of the reef. Marine algae include Padina commersonii, Dictyota bartayresiana, Bostrychia binderi, Ulva lactuca, Dictyosphaora sp., Udotea indica, and Halimeda opuntia. Major attractions include the Dolphins, coral gardens and it is an important site for snorkelling, diving and bird watching. The beautiful sandy beach is good for  enviromental friendly recreational activities.

The Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve is located in Kilifi County.

The Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve is located in Kilifi County.

Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve is located in Kenya. Established in 1968, it was one of Kenya's first marine parks. It is located about 90 miles (140 km) north of Mombasa, Kenya's second largest city. Its coral gardens are merely 300 metres (980 ft) from the shore and are home to approximately 600 species of fish, 110 species of stony coral and countless invertebrates, crustaceans and mollusks.[1] Water temperature varies from 20 degrees Celsius (June to November) to 30 degrees Celsius (December to May). The park was designated as a Biosphere in 1979.[2]


Watamu Marine National Park and Reserve was established in 1968 with Malindi Marine National Park and Reserve. They were established by the Kenyan government. Watamu Marine Park is now part of a UN recognized World Biosphere Reserve.[3]

Wildlife

The park's coral reefs form the physical and biological backbone of the area. With over 150 species of hard and soft corals, such as brain corals, fan corals and sponges, it provides for abundant nutrients for fish. The main park has over 500 species of fish and the reserve over 1000. There are also whale sharks, manta rays, octopus and barracuda as some of the larger species in the park.

Watamu also has different species of turtles and a turtle watch program which has managed to secure the main park's beach as a 99% viable sea turtle nesting site for endangered sea turtles. This beach is patrolled and monitored vigorously.The turtles nesting in Watamu include the Green, Hawksbill and Olive Ridley turtles. The Olive Ridley species is rare but occasionally comes to the nesting site. Leatherback turtles do not nest in Watamu or Malindi but they pass by through the nearby waters during their migration.[4]

 Conservation

Bleaching of the water in Watamu Marine Park, a marine protected area (MPA), occurred between 1997 and 1998. This was the single most important impact on the sea water that caused high levels of mortality to the coral reefs in Malindi and Watamu.[5] Usually recovery is variable and depends on the reefs but Watamu was slower than average in recovery. Surveys showed that urbanization and coastal development, especially from tourism and agricultural sectors, contributed to increased degradation of the marine environment in the area. Removal of forests and natural vegetation for agriculture, removal of mangroves for building and fuel, and fishing to meet the demands of a growing urban population, all contributed to increased threats on the marine ecosystems of the MPA. This ecosystem includes of coral reefs, mangrove forests and sea grass beds. Land-use plans had to be incorporated into the MPA management plan. The inclusion took into consideration issues of coastal destruction of habitats for marine species including marine turtles and shorebirds, as well as improved enforcement of existing land-use statutes.[6]

In Watamu and Malindi parks, a local marine conservation organization seeks to protect marine life, especially sea turtles, by the means of a direct payment method program. The program pays local fishermen to tag and release sea turtles caught while fishing. For every turtle release, the fishermen are compensated for their time, efforts and potential damage to fishing gear, thus providing an incentive for releasing the animals instead of killing them. After the fishermen release the turtles, they notify Watamu Turtle Watch (WTW) volunteers who rush to the landing site. The volunteers then have an opportunity to measure and examine the animals as well as place ID tags on them before they are returned to freedom. This program has benefited the research of turtle nesting habits. Also, the center administering the program provides turtle rehabilitation for sick turtles, and has an adopt-a-turtle program, and studys the socio-economics of fishing communities.[7] Fishermen are also allowed to fish in the protected reserve as long as they only take out the species of fish allowed by the park and use traditional methods of fishing.[8