Saiwa Swamp: Kenya's Smallest National Park Gets Hammered By Human Activities

• TUKO.co.ke understands that biodiversity includes all species of animals, birds, plants, fish, insects, and microscopic organisms
• As per the 2018 report of the WWF, there has been a 60% decline in the population of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians
• Saiwa Swamp National Park has been a veritable haven for nature lovers as it is famous for its forested paradise filled with beauty
• But experts say Saiwa Swamp National Park is faced with a myriad of threats, including pollution, and human-wildlife conflict

Trans Nzoia - Experts attribute the increasing list of endangered species around the world to the loss of habitat of wildlife and disturbance in their environment caused by human activities.

According to experts, healthy biodiversity is essential for human health and survival.

Biodiversity includes all species of animals, birds, plants, fish, insects, and microscopic organisms.

However, a large number of species have become endangered due to human activities over the years.

Threats against Saiwa Swamp National Park

As per the 2018 report of the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF), there has been a 60% decline in the population of mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and amphibians in just 40 years.

And now, Kenya's smallest national park, Saiwa Swamp faces climate change and human activities threats.

The park is located in Trans Nzoia county, which is largely an agricultural hub with both large-scale and small-scale wheat, maize, and dairy farming.

The county is referred to as the basket of Kenya for its role in food production in the country.

For a long time, Saiwa Swamp National Park has been a veritable haven for nature lovers. It is famous for its forested paradise filled with exotic flowers, trees, and birds.

It is also the habitat of the rare and endangered semi-aquatic Sitatunga antelope and a preserve for the rare De Brazza’s monkey.

Saiwa Swamp was scenic with tropical wetlands

Sitatunga Tragelaphus spekii has most recently been assessed for The International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species and is listed as least concern.

But experts say Saiwa Swamp National Park is faced with a myriad of threats, including pollution, human-wildlife conflict, infrastructure development, and poaching.

Previously, the park, which was the main tourism attraction site in Trans Nzoia was scenic with tropical wetlands and a mosaic of riverine forest, sedges, and acacia woodlands, with fringing dense rushes and grass beds. Bird life was abundant.

This was also home to water birds, including the lesser jacana, grey heron, and the African black duck, while the forest sheltered the Narina trogons, the collared and orange-tufted sunbird, the yellow bishop, Hatlaub’s marsh widow bird and the Noisy Ross’s turacos which were difficult to miss.

The park which is located at Kipsaina, Trans Nzoia East sub-county, only covers 3 km² making it the smallest park in Kenya.

William Ruto's thesis

It should be remembered that in 2018, President William Ruto graduated from the University of Nairobi (UoN) with a PhD in Plant Ecology.

The then-deputy president submitted his thesis titled Influence of human activities on land use changes on environmental quality of riparian ecosystems: A case study of Saiwa Swamp Watershed, Western Kenya' in September 2018.

Why Saiwa Swamp is on verge of extinction

However, a spot check by TUKO.co.ke revealed that the park is on the verge of extinction owing to massive degradation and destruction of water catchment zones within the ecosystem through human activities. Environmentalists in the region have since raised the alarm.

The environmentalists said the swamp at the park is facing degradation owing to human activities around the ecosystem that pose a threat to the water catchment that sustains the swampy nature, which is a conducive environment for wildlife.

The park’s warden Alex Omondi said the habitat for the animals has been destroyed by human activities, including the use of agrochemicals that has checked out native species of habitation

“Currently, we have an elephant grass growing which is not palatable to the animals and has also affected the reeds which are home to the Sitatungas. Two months ago, our survey indicated we have fewer Sitatungas left at the park compared to the past and this is worrying,” said Omondi.

In his own words, Omondi went on:

“Some of the initiatives that we have embarked on are labour intensive and expansive including the revival of palatable species for the animals."

Environmentalists call to action

Stung by the sad state of the park, the Kipsaina Cranes and Wetlands Conservation Association (KCWCA) has rolled out a rigorous rehabilitation and conservation drive for the wetland.

River Kapenguria which feeds the swamp is always brownish whenever it rains which is an indication of soil erosion that is brought about by deforestation upstream by residents who cut down trees to create land for settlement and agricultural activities.

"The swampy park has suffered owing to degradation of the water catchments within and around it owing to increased human settlement. This has seen a reduction in the number of Sitatunga antelopes since the climatic conditions are not conducive for them," explained KCWCA chairman Maurice Wanjala.

Wanjala, an environmental conservationist, doubles up as the group chairman and honorary warden of the Saiwa Swamp National Park.

The environmentalists who have taken it upon themselves to lead rehabilitation efforts recently conducted a tree-planting exercise to rehabilitate River Kapenguria.

Trans Nzoia farmers to adopt alternative farming methods

They used the occasion to urge residents to adopt alternative farming methods that will protect water catchment areas in the region.

The stakeholders noted that there is a need for locals to adopt eco-friendly farming systems to stop the degradation of wetlands and manage the effects of climate change.

"We are calling on officials of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to move with speed to salvage this fragile ecosystem from going into extinction. There is also a need to protect the riparian land from human activities to rehabilitate the catchment," said Wanjala.

Trans Nzoia county National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) director Stanley Ambasa acknowledged the fact that the swamp is at risk of extinction, calling for a multi-agency approach to contain its degradation.

Ambasa reiterated that the degradation of the water catchment area poses a great risk to the wildlife within the ecosystem that is a key tourist attraction in the country.

"The ecosystem requires urgent concerted efforts failure to which the wetland will disappear. Such a move is likely to pose a great danger to wildlife species that call the conservancy home. We have to rise to this reality before it's too late," said Ambasa.

Retrogressive agricultural activities poses a major risk to Saiwa Swamp

On his part, Kenya Wildlife Service (KWS) Western Kenya region circuit assistant director Catherine Wambani admitted that the park is under high threat by encroachment of riparian land and retrogressive agricultural activities.

"We are concerned with the declining trend of the population of the Sitatunga antelopes at our park. I have not seen a young one of the animals in the last two years,” said Wambani.

She added that KWS is currently working with other stakeholders, including the regional government, to save the park through massive rehabilitation of the wetlands within the park and community sensitisation on environmental conservation.

Trans Nzoia deputy governor Philomena Bineah said the county government has initiated a Rapid Results Initiative (RRI) to ensure the restoration of wetlands in the region.

"This follows an ambitious afforestation campaign across our five sub-counties," Bineah said.

Wanjala further told TUKO.co.ke that his organisation is currently sensitising locals against the use of hazardous agri-chemicals on their farms that border wetlands.

"Soon we shall be launching our agri-ecology practical sites because we know our farmers to embrace the indigenous ways of farming so that we can save our wetlands from degradation," Wanjala added.

Research shows that wetlands in the region are at threat of extinction due to environmental degradation and pollution by agricultural activities.

William Ruto stops issuance of licences in key wildlife conservancies

More alarming is that over 50% of wetland areas in the Western Kenya region have been destroyed a move that poses a major risk to River Nzoia, which is the main river in the region at a great risk.

TUKO.co.ke earlier reported that conservation organisations welcomed the decision by the government to stop the issuance of licences and permits for various projects in key wildlife conservation areas.

The areas where NEMA was ordered to implement the presidential directive are Kajiado, Machakos (Athi – Kapiti corridor), Narok, Laikipia, Taita Taveta, and Baringo.

President William Ruto, on Monday, July 24, also directed that the wildlife corridors and dispersal areas task force report 2016 be implemented with the Athi-Kapiti corridor as a high-priority area.