Flamingoes, the main attraction at Lake Nakuru National Park, have fled due to increased water levels.
This threatens to cripple domestic tourism, the park’s senior warden Dickson Ritan told the Star yesterday.
“For the past year, the number of flamingos has been declining due to increasing water levels, which has been attributed to heavy rains,” he said.
Ritan said the water has submerged the Pink Carpet’s habitat, causing the birds to migrate.
He said the lake has the highest water level since 1979.
The lake is fed by rivers originating from the Mau Forest Complex.
Ritan said flamingoes are also migrating because of diminishing algae, which is their main food.
Algae thrives in highly salty water but the increased inflow of fresh water has diluted the lake’s salt.
Ritan said the shoreline is an eyesore because it is littered with plastic bottles, bags and rubber products from Nakuru town.
He said, however, tourists are still visiting the lake.
