Lamu Archipelago

The area extends from the Kenya-Somalia border to the Tana River Delta incorporating the North Banks and the Dodori channels. The approximate size of this site is 6,064 km squared.

Description

Influenced by both the Somali Current and the EACC the oceanography of this site is characterised by upwellings of cold, nutrient rich waters. The upwelling results in a highly productive marine ecosystem with rich fisheries for finfish, crustaceans and molluscs. The terrestrial environment of the Archipelago is a mixture of coral rag and sand beaches, which provide nesting sites for numerous bird species and three species of marine turtle. African Hunting dogs from the adjacent Dodori Game Reserve frequent the dunes and beaches. The intertidal environment of the creeks and basins of the delta is characterised by extensive mangrove formations covering some 345 km2. These mangroves represent up to 60% of the total mangrove forest area in Kenya and contain nine species of trees. Shallow water areas have seagrass beds that are important feeding sites for Olive Ridley, Hawksbill and Green turtles as well as for dugong, which also breed in the area. A patchwork of coral reefs provides diverse and important habitats for fish species including sharks and other elasmobranchs. The Archipelago has the most northerly coral reefs known in the ecoregion, and may possess unique coral and fish communities. Further offshore Humpback, Sei, Pilot and Sperm whales migrate seasonally along the coast. The adjacent North Banks provide an attractive habitat for top-level predators including large pelagic species such as Black marlin and the sailfish. A colony of over 6,000 Roseate terns breed on the small islands and islets.

Contacts

Fisheries Department, KMFRI, KWS-Kiunga Marine Reserve, WWF-Kenya Office, CORDIO.

Conservation Status

The status of the Lamu Archipelago’s coastal environment varies across the area. The North Banks are reported as being degraded but still maintain some level of productivity. Similarly, the mangrove stands and seagrass beds of Lamu are degraded. The 1998 El Niño resulted in a die-back of some mangrove areas due to excessive fresh-water inflow, as well as coral bleaching that caused over 90% of coral loss. Overall, however, an estimated 160 km squared of the total mangrove forest are thought to be in more or less pristine condition. Certain large species including sea turtles and dugongs are decreasing in abundance, with the dugong in particular considered vulnerable to local threats. The Kiunga Marine Reserve, managed by KWS with support from WWF, is promoting, and implementing, improved conservation practices. There are no equivalent activities in the southern part of the Archipelago.

Summary of threats and information needs

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