Nature Blog

The Athi-Galana-Sabaki River is the second longest and one of the two perennial rivers draining into the Indian Ocean in Kenya. The Sabaki River Mouth (SRM) – where the Athi-Galana-Sabaki River pours into the Indian Ocean north of Malindi town in Kilifi County – is an estuary with sandbanks, mudflats, dunes, freshwater pools, marshes and mangroves, presenting a unique ecosystem and habitat for diverse flora and fauna. 

Sabaki River Mouth is among the 67 designated Important Bird Areas (IBAs) and Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) in Kenya. An important habitat for resident and migratory shorebirds, the estuary is home to over 240 bird species. The estuary’s turbid coastal waters are an important nursery ground for crustaceans and fish, while its sandy shores on both sides are breeding grounds for turtles. Different species of mangroves dominate its peripheral mudflats. Crocodiles, hippos and antelopes also live in the area. 

The estuary provides vital ecosystem services beneficial to people, like filtering pollutants and acting as a storm buffer. It is a source of livelihood for the local communities. Fishing and ecotourism are among the livelihood activities the communities are engaged in. 

Despite its invaluable ecological and economic importance, Sabaki River Mouth faces many hazards, including sand harvesting, fishing with illegal gear, illegal mangrove pole harvesting, discharge of solid waste and effluent, encroachment and land grabbing. These threats impact water quality, biodiversity and vegetation, disrupting the estuary’s ecosystem. 

A number of conservation actions are underway to safeguard the Sabaki River Mouth. They include the devopment of the River Sabaki Estuary Management Plan 2022-2032 led by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) in collaboration the Kilifi County Government, Nature Kenya, and other stakeholders. The Sabaki River Conservation and Development Organization (SARICODO) – site support group (SSG) for Sabaki River Mouth – conducts annual waterbird counts in partnership with A Rocha Kenya and the National Museums of Kenya. SARICODO is also engaged in mangrove restoration and environmental awareness creation. Volunteers from the group regularly patrol the estuary for illegal activities.

The 2023 January Waterbird counts had an exciting start in Nairobi and some Rift Valley lakes. It’s an annual monitoring activity to collect information on the number of waterbirds in wetlands, indicating the health of the wetlands. The counts are coordinated by the National Museums of Kenya, Kenya Wildlife Service and Nature Kenya, with support from Wetlands International and others, and conducted by groups of volunteers. 

Armed with binoculars, telescopes and data sheets, the volunteers were up to the task at the break of dawn or soon after, and carried on past midday. The bird counters endured a mix of landscapes ranging from rugged and dusty terrains to wet and muddy ones, bitter cold nights and scorching daytime sun. 

Wetlands are home to other wild animals besides birds. In some sites, counters had to improvise safer offshore routes to avoid disturbing sunbathing hippos and crocodiles, keenly noting the number of birds keeping these giants company. These unusual encounters added an aura of adventure to the counts. 

Sites covered in January included Manguo Ponds (almost dry), Dandora Sewage Works (Nairobi Oxygenation Ponds, Ruai), Nairobi National Park and Langata wetlands, Lake Ol’Bolossat, Lake Bogoria, Lake Baringo, and Lakes Naivasha, Sonachi and Oloidien. A Southern Ground Hornbill welcomed us at Hippo Camp in Naivasha, ushering in a successful count. 

Lakes Nakuru, Elmenteita, and perhaps Magadi; Thika Sewage works; Coastal sites; and a few sites north of Nairobi will be counted in February. We thank our members, volunteers and partners for their participation.

 In 2022, Nature Kenya rolled out its Strategic Plan for the next decade. The 2022 – 2032 Strategic Plan refocuses Nature Kenya’s conservation efforts under five pillars: Save Species & Sites, Foster Sustainability, Build Support, Act on Science and Consolidate Structures. The implementation of the new strategic plan will continue in 2023. 

Work on saving species and conserving their habitats at various sites continues countrywide. Vulture conservation activities in the Maasai Mara, Mosiro, Amboseli and Kwenia landscapes are ongoing. Nature Kenya will engage 64 community volunteers to monitor vulture populations, look out for wildlife poisoning incidents and create awareness at these sites. Our site support groups (SSGs) at 26 Key Biodiversity Areas (KBAs) will continue to play a critical role in biodiversity monitoring and habitat restoration. 

The annual waterbird counts will take place in January-February 2023 at the Great Rift Valley lakes and other wetlands within the country, including Nairobi and its environs. 

On March 31, we will hold our Lungs for Kenya charity golf tournament at the Karen Country Club. This year’s tournament seeks to raise funds to catalyze the restoration of degraded forest landscapes in Mt. Kenya and the Aberdares. We encourage members to support this tournament by sponsoring, donating auction or raffle items or registering to play. 

Engagement with partners to scale-up conservation actions continue. We will maintain existing partnerships with corporates and pursue new ones to further our work to restore degraded landscapes and empower local communities. 

In 2023, Nature Kenya will continue to address drivers of biodiversity loss through policy reform, advocacy, promoting mainstreaming of biodiversity in economic decision-making processes and promoting nature-based solutions and models. Top on the agenda is blocking the controversial allocation of Yala Swamp for sugarcane growing by the National Land Commission (NLC). Working with like-minded organizations, we will use all channels available to push for the sustainable use of Yala Swamp resources to benefit local communities and biodiversity. 

Our advocacy team will keep tabs on calls for comments for Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) reports, more so for development projects near ecologically sensitive areas. We kindly request members to submit comments whenever asked to do so. 

Our weekly bird walks in Nairobi and Malindi will continue in 2023. Other membership engagement activities, such as monthly talks and Ask Our Nature Expert Q&A sessions, are also lined up for the year. Two Global Big Days will be held on May 13 and October 14. On these days, bird watchers worldwide will go out to enjoy birds and submit their observations through the eBird mobile app. We urge members to mark these days on their calendars and plan to participate in these engaging citizen-science events. 

The road ahead is tough, and we look forward to your continued support to achieve the desired conservation impacts. Together, we can make our world better for us and future generations. 

Happy 2023! 

In November 2022, the National Land Commission (NLC) made a determination in favour of allocating 6,763.74 Ha of Yala Swamp to Lake Agro Kenya Limited. This, together with land originally held by the collapsed Dominion Farm, will lead to over 50% of Yala Swamp allocated for destruction through planting sugar cane. This is contrary to the wishes of the people of Yala. This allocation will compromise the ability of Yala Swamp to provide fish for food, water for food crops, filtration of water before entering Lake Victoria, carbon sequestration by the papyrus, flood regulation, tourism and biodiversity. It also threatens the livelihoods of over 250,000 people who depend on Yala Swamp, including papyrus harvesting and basketry, fishing, small-scale irrigation and tour guiding. The allocation is a gross violation of the land rights of Yala’s indigenous communities.

Nature Kenya, local communities and other human rights and conservation stakeholders objected to the allocation. Through their representatives, the communities made clear submissions to the National Land Commission detailing their reasons for rejection. Other stakeholders, including government agencies – Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) and the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) – also objected.

The National Land Commission seems to be stage-managing the consultation process in order to promote sugarcane, and thus condemning Yala Swamp and the invaluable ecosystem services that the Yala community and national and global stakeholders depend on. In November, Nature Kenya was able to review a report detailing how the NLC plans to ignore the views of the stakeholders and instead subvert their rights and allocate the land to Lake Agro Kenya Limited. Nature Kenya, representing the voiceless unique fish and other biodiversity, the poor Yala communities and the national and global community, will continue to lobby the Government of Kenya to reverse NLC’s decision and instead foster the implementation of the Yala Land Use plan. We count on the power of many. Reach out to your leaders and let them know that Yala Swamp matters to all of us!