Lake Ol’Bolossat

Lake Ol’ Bolossat lies 7,600 feet above sea level, and below the spectacular Aberdare mountain ranges The lake’s  uniqueness offers a variety of habitats making it rich in biodiversity.The climate around lake Ol’Bolossat is semi-humid and is strongly influenced by local topography due to the surrounding highlands.The main physical features of the Lake Ol’Bolossat region include Kinangop Plateau and Ol’ Kalou/ Ol’ Joro Orok plateaus which have slopes that are interrupted by low undulating hills and sloping depressions.Being close to the Great Rift Valley, the lake sits along with one of Kenya’s most important bird migration flyways, hence a suitable site for feeding and resting and probably as a wintering ground for the Pale-arctic migrants. Lake Ol’ Bolossat is the source of the Ewaso Nyiro River which has its source from Aberdare Ranges. The lake lies within the central tourism circuit Nyeri – Nakuru, Naivasha – Maralal –Baringo, and Nanyuki – Baringo. The lake also Supplies clean water in Nyahururu town and the surrounding areas of Nyandarua county

Lake Ol’Bolossat also support tourism at Thomson’s fall, where most birdwatchers make a stop to look for the Slender-billed Starling and African Black Duck. The Lake also supports the livelihoods of communities, livestock, and wildlife in the dry Laikipia, Samburu, Isiolo, and Garissa Counties.The Lake’s rich biodiversity includes hippopotamus which occurs in large numbers  and over 150 bird species

Bird species in Lake Ol’Bolossat includes; the endangered Grey-crowned Crane and the endemic Sharpe’s Longclaw both of which are high on the bird see list in Kenya. Lake Ol’Bolossat has the highest population of Grey-crowned Cranes in East Africa where successful breeding records have been documented . The concentration of Ducks, Geese, and Coots is very high in Lake Ol’Bolossat. Widely referred to as the “kidneys of the landscape”, wetlands are, indeed, critical in the functioning of the global hydrological cycle. They play a regulatory role in climate systems, water purification, and waste removal, re-charge of groundwater, and provide a suitable habitat for many aquatic plants and animals. Lakes make cities habitable in various ways – they control flooding, replenish drinking water, filter waste, provide urban green spaces along their shores, and are a source of livelihoods

Bird Highlights in Lake Ol’Bolossat

Lake Ol’Bolossat is home to a variety of bird species, its one of the important lakes for migrating ducks and other waterbirds, offering  suitable breeding, feeding, and wintering grounds.  Lake Ol’Bolossat has a significant number of  Sharpe’s Longclaw a globally threatened  and Kenya high-altitude grassland endemic bird. The lake holds the second largest Kenyan population of the endangered  Grey Crowned Crane, and probably the highest density of breeding pairs across the species range

Notable birds In Lake Ol’ Bolossat; Little Grebe, Great Cormorant, African Darter, Dwarf  Bittern, Little Bittern, Black-crowned Night-Heron, Madagascar Squacco Heron, Black Egret, Goliath Heron, Hamerkop, White Stork, Abdim’s Stork, Black Stork, Woolly-necked Stork, Saddle-billed Stork, African Spoonbill, Greater Flamingo, Lesser Flamingo, Spur-winged Goose, Knob-billed Goose, African Pygmy Goose, White-faced Whistling Duck, Fulvous Whistling Duck, Maccoa Duck, Red-billed Duck, Hottentot Teal, White-backed Duck, Yellow-billed Duck, African Black Duck, Northern Shoveler, Northern Pintail, Garganey, Common Teal, Eurasian Widgeon, Southern Pochard, African Fish Eagle, African Marsh Eagle, Long-crested Eagle, Red-chested Flufftail, African Crake, African Snipe, Black Crake, Purple Swamphen, African Water Rail, Red-knobbed Coot, Lesser Moorhen, Lesser Jacana, Grey Crowned Crane, Levaillant’s Cisticola, Wing-snapping Cisticola