Flooding lake forces KWS out of park

 

A tourist van drives past a heard of antelopes at the Lake Nakuru National Park The wildlife agency may be forced to move from Lake Nakuru National Park following heavy rains that have been pounding the area for the last two months. PHOTO/FILE 

In Summary

• Water levels at the lake have risen by up to two metres, submerging sections of acacia forests and reduced the salinity of the water, rendering the lake unsuitable for flamingoes in a phenomenon last experienced more than 60 years ago.
• Animal migration is turning out to be a silver lining in the floods cloud as tourists spot them more easily.

The wildlife agency may be forced to move from Lake Nakuru National Park following heavy rains that have been pounding the area for the last two months.

The management of the country’s most visited game sanctuary has so far relocated some 20 officials, whose offices were flooded at the main gate.

“We’ve been forced to relocate at least some of our officials,” Kenya Wildlife Service assistant director in charge of Central Rift Richard Kirui said.

Water levels at the lake have risen by up to two metres, submerging sections of acacia forests and reduced the salinity of the water, rendering the lake unsuitable for flamingoes in a phenomenon last experienced more than 60 years ago.

Mr Kirui also noted that the KWS had created new access roads to the park after the major ones were totally covered by the lake waters, which have extended to the main gate.

A spot check by the Nation yesterday revealed that most local and foreign visitors were being diverted to the new routes in the current tourist peak season.

Some main gate services, such as e-ticketing, had also been diverted to Nderit and Lanet gates, as the wildlife service tries to cope with the flood menace.

SILVER LINING

Millions of flamingoes, according to a KWS online journal, have migrated to other habitats such as Lake Bogoria, which is more than 100km away.

Animal migration is turning out to be a silver lining in the floods cloud as tourists spot them more easily.

The park’s management said the heavy rains had forced them to review some of their operations to ensure the tourist attraction site continued to flourish, probably causing hoteliers to report booming business in spite of the heavy rains.

The hoteliers assured tourists that they would not be greatly inconvenienced by the rising water levels during their game drives around the park.

“We want to assure our visitors that the flooding has mostly affected the main gate and the shores of the lake, but access to the park is well catered for,” a marketing manager at Lake Nakuru Lodge, Mr Joseph Muya said.

He allayed fears that the recent terrorist attack in Nairobi had affected tourism in the country.