Aug 14 2010
Africa Safari Attractions-The Magnificent Lake Nakuru National Park
Home to the greatest bird (ornithological) spectacle across globe the Lake Nakuru National Parks trademark, is the hundreds of thousands of pink flamingos habitat at Lake Nakuru shores. The 188km² area fully fenced park is managed by Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS), and was founded in 1961 and upgraded to National Park status in 1968. For Africa safari enthusiast, this is one place you have to visit.
Its 164km away from the capital of Kenya – Nairobi and 2km from Rift Valleys capital Nakuru. Its an ecological wonder that supports diverse ecosystem on its wooded and bushy grasslands and UNESCO has recognized it as a Global Heritage Site. There are around 550 plant species recorded and its Euphorbia candelabrum forest is the biggest of its kind in Africa. Due to the warm climate here deciduous trees like yellow acacia are commonly witnessed.
However, Lake Nakuru is the hugest draw for tourists on a safari in Kenya due to the abundance of flamingoes. The highly saline lake occupies over 27% of the park and supports varieties of marine flora and fauna. Due to drop in its water levels in the 90s, it became a signatory to the Ramsar Convention that preserves wetlands.
With the lesser flamingo with deep red carmine bill and greater black tipped, the lake has two flamingo species habitat here. They feed on green blue algae that form when their droppings combine with the lakes warm alkaline waters. Besides flamingos the park bears 56 mammal species, and over 400 other bird species like ducks, grebes, pelicans, avocets and cormorants that migrate here each and every year. Baboon cliff is the best place to view these birds.
The park is a dream destination for ornithologists, wildlife filmmakers and scientists. Among the wildlife creatures resident in this warm rugged habitat are tortoise, python, leopard, Rothschilds giraffe, leopard, waterbuck, Thompson gazelle, clawless otter, hippo, eland, Columbus monkey, rhino, baboons and others. They make their homes in the thick woodlands bushes, cliffs, forest and rocky escarpments. Pythons have been seen swinging from trees at times.
From 1983, the park has been a restocking sanctuary for the endangered black and white rhinos that were almost eliminated by poaching. Today in (2010) the park has about 25 black rhinos and 70 white rhinos and its the biggest Rhino concentration in Kenya. Picnicking sites like the Lion hill, Makalia falls, Enjoro River Mouth and Out of Africa help make game spotting easier, and are ideal viewpoints of the entire park and the amazing Rift Valley.
The parks permanent water source lies in the Bahrain springs as River Makhalia and Nderit are dry owing to degradation of the Mau forest. The parks habitat also suffers from contamination due to it being closely located to Nakuru town whose 212,000 populations sewage drains to the park. The park [is only.
A flight from Wilson Airport lands one at Naishi Airstrip at the southern part of the park. For tourists there are ample campsites, lodges and bandas for accommodation. The more famous lodges include Naishi House, Sarova Lion Hill, Lake Nakuru lodge and Annex and Flamingo Tented Camp. Reasonably priced accommodation facilities are also offered by the Nakuru Town that is situated nearby. {If you have more questions~Should you have more questions, you can {post~ask} them {in~at} various [Kenya travel forums|Kenyan safari forums|Kenyan tour forums|Kenya safari forums] found on {cyberspace~the internet}.
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