UNESCO list lake Nakuru, Bogoria, and Elementaita as 'in danger' sites

Three Rift Valley lakes are at risk of being placed on the 'danger list' by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).

According to environmental experts from different state agencies and UNESCO sites that lake Nakuru, Bogoria and Elementaita, classified as World Heritage Sites, have exhibited serious conservation concerns.

The experts are currently documenting the status of the three saline lakes whose health status has been on the decline.

However, they have highlighted increasing water levels, pollution, encroachment, and climate change as major causes that could see the lakes placed on the list of those in danger.

"We are currently collecting information to evaluate the current status of the Kenya Lake System following decisions that were made by the World Heritage Committee during the last meeting in 2023," Faith Manthi, a program officer at the UNESCO Regional Office, said.

The three lakes were designated as World Heritage Sites in 2011 following their unique features, including being an excellent site for the lesser flamingos.

Lake Nakuru and Elementaita are also the main nesting and breeding grounds for Great White Pelicans.

Manthi said that the findings from the assessment will be presented during the 47th session, which is set to be held in July this year in Paris.

The committee meets every two years to review the state of conservation of already inscribed sites. The committee also makes decisions about adding or removing sites that have been placed on the danger list.

By 2023, the World Heritage Committee raised concerns about the rising water levels across all three lakes, the disposal of untreated sewage into Lake Nakuru, and encroachment in Lake Elementaita.

Siltation from soil erosion and deforestation have also been flagged as threats.

With the three lakes lying along a major flyway that is used by migratory birds, experts say that construction of a powerline across the critical routes has continued to electrocute many birds.

Emmanuel Koech, Assistant Director at Lake Nakuru National Park, said that the rising water levels have put a financial toll on the management of the park.

"We are often forced to build new roads as the old ones submerge following the rising water levels in Lake Nakuru. This has also affected the tourism circuit within the park," Koech said.

Oliver Nasirwa, an expert from the National Museums, said that the changing chemistry of the three lakes has seen the disappearance of flamingos.

Between 1990 and 2010, we used to record over one million flamingoes across these lakes.

However, these populations have drastically reduced since 2014. The flamingo population averages 200,000," Dr Nasirwa said.

"In Lake Bogoria, there is a lot of degradation upstream from river Weseges, while in Lake Nakuru, improper waste disposal and rising water levels is a big concern. In Elementaita, encroachment and quarrying activities stand out," Peter Mwangi, an environmental expert from KWS said.

Currently, Africa hosts the highest number of sites that have been danger-listed, with 14 of the 56 sites on the World Heritage Danger List located on the continent.

This includes three sites in Eastern Africa: Lake Turkana National Park (Kenya), Rainforest of Atsinanana (Madagascar), and Selous Game Reserve (United Republic of Tanzania).

Lake Turkana National Park is threatened by Gibe dams and irrigation plantation developments on Ethiopia’s Omo River, which provides over 80 per cent of the park’s freshwater inflow.

When a site, such as Lake Turkana National Park, which hosts the world’s largest desert lake, is threatened, it is placed on the World Heritage List in Danger.

Inscribing a site on this list allows the World Heritage Committee to allocate immediate assistance from the World Heritage Fund. It alerts the international community, encouraging collaborative efforts to save these endangered sites.

If a site loses the characteristics that justified its inscription on the World Heritage List, the Committee may remove it from both the World Heritage List in Danger and the World Heritage List altogether.

Other World Heritage Sites in Africa face various threats, including climate change, uncontrolled development, poaching, civil unrest, and instability.