Parks & reserves: Lake Bogoria National Reserve
Wildlife
Bogoria is not recognised as a place of mammal diversity, though the quantity is far from a demerit to quality. The top attractive of this reserve relies on the fact that it has become a sanctuary for the protection of the greater kudu, a shy antelope usually inhabiting open forests in mountain regions. If Bogoria and Baringo are the northernmost stops in your trip, you will never see this animal in any other park. They are so abundant in Bogoria now that sightings are not rare.
The greater kudu is a beautiful animal with large spiral horns and a fringe of hair on the throat (only the bulls), wide ears, the body vertically striped in white and a characteristic white chevron between the eyes. Its population, formerly very extended, was severely affected by cattle rinderpest in the 19th century, restricting its habitat away from the livestock haunts.
Other mammals in the reserve include buffalo, baboon, Grant's gazelle, Kirk's dik-dik and klipspringer, the latter at the rocky slopes south and east of the lake.
Same as in all the Rift Valley lakes, bird life is plentiful and diverse in Bogoria. The lake is regularly visited by thousands of greater and lesser flamingos, which gather at the shore opposite to the hot springs. However, occasionally curiosity kills the flamingo as well, since some unaware specimens die victims of sulphur emanations and high temperatures. The reserve also hosts, among others, some vultures, bustards, larks and prey birds. It is worth to mention the fish eagles, which due to the lack of fish have learned to hover on flamingoes.
In the last years, deaths of lesser flamingoes have increased alarmingly, replicating the high mortality recorded in 1994-95, specially at Lake Nakuru. Apparently, the phenomenon is due to the poisoning of waters by heavy metals and toxins as a consequence of toxic algae overgrowing in the lake waters, which flamingos filter through their bills while feeding.
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