Lake irony

Kenya over the last few decades, and the change from a nomadic lifestyle to communally owned ranches, wildlife in the Samburu District is under threat from deforestation, land degradation, overgrazing by livestock, and unsustainable water use. Alexander Njue, who is also involved in a separate Earthwatchsponsored project studying the wildlife habitats in this area, hopes that wildlife can also benefit from an improved management of the scarce water resources. “The rare Grevy’s Zebra is especially threatened by diminishing water resources,” Njue said. “The lactating female has to stay close to a source of water. If there are only a limited number of watering points, all animals, including predators, will tend to aggregate near these points. The increased mortality among the Grevy Zebra young may be partly due to increased predation at these watering points.” Moreover, the scarcity of water may lead to habitat degradation. With the Wildlife Habitats Project, Njue hopes to address issues related to habitat degradation over the next three years.