Yala Swamp
Encyclopedia
The Yala Swamp is a wetland
region of over 200 square km in Western Kenya
. The wetland covers the North-Eastern shore of Lake Victoria in Siaya
, Bondo
and Busia
districts in
Kenya. It acts as a filter for waters that flow into Lake Victoria
from two major rivers. Sometimes considered the source of the Nile. The swamps harbour endangered fish species Oreochromis esculentus and Oreochromis variabilis
that have disappeared from Lake Victoria itself. The critically endangered Sitatunga Antelope(Tragecephalus spekii) still lives in the swamps’ papyrus
. BirdLife International
classifies the Yala Swamp among Kenya’s 60 Important Bird Areas. Some of the birds that live there are ; the Blue Breasted Bee Eater, the Papyrus Gonolek
, the Swamp Flycatcher
, the Papyrus Canary
, the White Winged Warbler,
the Great Snapper and the Baillor’s Crane.
Wetland
A wetland is an area of land whose soil is saturated with water either permanently or seasonally. Wetlands are categorised by their characteristic vegetation, which is adapted to these unique soil conditions....
region of over 200 square km in Western Kenya
Kenya
Kenya , officially known as the Republic of Kenya, is a country in East Africa that lies on the equator, with the Indian Ocean to its south-east...
. The wetland covers the North-Eastern shore of Lake Victoria in Siaya
Siaya
Siaya is a town in Nyanza Province of Kenya. It is the capital of Siaya District. It is located 50 kilometres Northwest of Kisumu, the provincial capital. Siaya forms munipical council with population of 41,174, of whom 13,787 are classified urban ....
, Bondo
Bondo, Kenya
Bondo is a town in Nyanza Province of Kenya. It the capital of Bondo District. Bondo is located 50 kilometres west of Kisumu, the provincial capital. Bondo forms a town council with a population of 29,165, of whom 7,797 are classified urban ....
and Busia
Busia
Busia may refer to the following:Places*Busia District, Kenya*Busia District, Uganda*Busia, Uganda, the Ugandan town on the border with Kenya*Busia, Kenya, the Kenyan town on the border with UgandaPeople...
districts in
Kenya. It acts as a filter for waters that flow into Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria
Lake Victoria is one of the African Great Lakes. The lake was named for Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom, by John Hanning Speke, the first European to discover this lake....
from two major rivers. Sometimes considered the source of the Nile. The swamps harbour endangered fish species Oreochromis esculentus and Oreochromis variabilis
Oreochromis variabilis
Oreochromis variabilis is a species of fish in the Cichlidae family. It is found in Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda. Its natural habitats are swamps and freshwater lakes.-Source:...
that have disappeared from Lake Victoria itself. The critically endangered Sitatunga Antelope(Tragecephalus spekii) still lives in the swamps’ papyrus
Papyrus
Papyrus is a thick paper-like material produced from the pith of the papyrus plant, Cyperus papyrus, a wetland sedge that was once abundant in the Nile Delta of Egypt....
. BirdLife International
BirdLife International
BirdLife International is a global Partnership of conservation organisations that strives to conserve birds, their habitats and global biodiversity, working with people towards sustainability in the use of natural resources...
classifies the Yala Swamp among Kenya’s 60 Important Bird Areas. Some of the birds that live there are ; the Blue Breasted Bee Eater, the Papyrus Gonolek
Papyrus Gonolek
The Papyrus Gonolek is a species of bird in the Malaconotidae family.It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda....
, the Swamp Flycatcher
Swamp Flycatcher
The Swamp Flycatcher or Swamp Alseonax is a species of bird in the Muscicapidae family.It is found in Benin, Burkina Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Chad, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Kenya, Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal,...
, the Papyrus Canary
Papyrus Canary
The Papyrus Canary, also known as Van Someren's Canary is a species of passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae.It is found in Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda...
, the White Winged Warbler,
the Great Snapper and the Baillor’s Crane.