Lake Nakuru National Park is located in Central Kenya, 140 km north-west of Nairobi , in the Rift Valley province near the city of Nakuru . The park is located around Lake Nakuru and covers an area of 188 km². Lake Nakuru National Park was originally established as a bird sanctuary in 1960 and in 1968 received the status of a national park. The ecosystem of the park is concentrated around the lake, surrounded by meadows and thickets of forest. There are about 56 different mammal species in the park, including the white rhino , as well as about 450 bird species [1] .
| National Park "Lake Nakuru" | |
|---|---|
| English Lake nakuru national park | |
 Panorama of the park | |
| IUCN Category II ( National Park ) | |
| basic information | |
| Square | 188 km 2 |
| Founding date | 1961 |
| Managing Organization | Kenya Wildlife Service |
| Location | |
| A country |
|
| Nearest town | Nakuru |
Content
Flora and fauna
The park’s food chain is based on Cyanophyte Spirulina platensis blue-green algae, which feeds a huge number of flamingos . During the peak season, over 1.5 million flamingos and half a million pelicans [2] gather on the lake and the surface of a shallow lake is sometimes difficult to see due to its mass of pink color. Due to this, the park has gained worldwide fame. The number of flamingos on the lake varies throughout the year depending on the lake water and food. Also quite interesting is the area around the lake, where many animals including rare white rhinos inhabit.
The park has recently been expanded to preserve the black rhinoceros population, which in turn demanded fencing of the territory to protect animals from poachers (and not to restrict their movement). In the southeast, the park is bordered by the Soysambu conservation area, which seems to be a possible future expansion of the habitat for rhinos and the only remaining corridor for wildlife to Lake Naivasha .
In 2009, there were more than 25 black rhinoceros in the park (one of the largest populations in the country), as well as about 70 white rhinos . The park is also inhabited by a Ugandan giraffe moved for safety from western Kenya in 1977. Very common in the water goat park. Of the predators, the lion and the leopard are present, the last of which has been observed much more often since recently. The park also contains large pythons that inhabit dense forests and which can be seen crossing the road or hanging from trees.
In addition to flamingos, the park has many other species of birds that live near the lake and in the thickets of trees: the rodent-eagle , the giant heron , the hammer-maker , the pied kingfisher and the kaffir eagle .
Among the geographic attractions of the park stands Meningai sleeping volcano with a height of 2.3 km above sea level.
Tourism
Visitors to the park can find different types of accommodation according to their preferences, ranging from expensive lodges to cheap campgrounds. Walking around the park is prohibited on foot, with the exception of special observation platforms.
Lake Nakuru National Park, along with Amboseli, are the most expensive national parks in Kenya (Premium Parks).
Entrance cost to the park (2013) [3] :
| Category | Cost of |
|---|---|
| Nationals East africa | 1000 KSh |
| Students and children of the states East africa | 200 KSh |
| Citizens of others states | $ 80 |
| Students and children other states | $ 40 |
| Vehicle less than 6 places (for 1 day) | 300 KSh |
| a lion | Small flamingo | Giraffe | White rhino |
Notes
- ↑ Lake Nakuru National Park (Not available link) (July 2011). The appeal date is July 4, 2011. Archived August 13, 2012.
- ↑ Lake Nakuru National Park (July 2011). The appeal date is July 4, 2011. Archived August 13, 2012.
- ↑ Tariffs for Parks and Bandas Unreferenced (inaccessible link) . The appeal date is July 4, 2011. Archived August 13, 2012.