KISUMU'S NATURE: DUNGA SWAMP

Dunga swamp is an Important Bird Area (IBA) - place of international importance for bird conservation covering 500 ha located at Dunga at the Tako River mouth, a wetland situated about 10 km south of Kisumu town on the shores of Winam Gulf, Lake Victoria. It’s on the beach at the western limit of Dunga where stands of papyrus stretch southeastwards along the shores for about 5 km, in a strip that varies in width from about 50 to 800 m.
It’s one of the 61 IBA’s listed in Kenya because of several bird species endemic to the papyrus wetland. They include:

1. Globally threatened birds

• Papyrus Gonolek (laniarius mufumbiri)
• Papyrus Yellow Warbler (chloropela gracilirostris)

1. Regionally threatened birds

• Great Egret (Ardea alba)
• Bailon’s Crate (porzana pusilla)

In the swamp their other many important protected forms of life, for example:

1. Important fish

• Singidla Tilapia (oreochromis esculentis) – ngege
• Victoria Tilapia (oreochromis variabilis)

1. Threatened mammals

• Sitatunga Antelope (Tragelaphus spekel)

1. Flora

• Papyrus reeds (cyperus papyrus)
• Typha reeds (typha domingensis)
• Hippo grass (vossia cuspidate)

The swamp is conserved by the Lake Victoria Sunset Birders .It’s the site’s support group that works in collaboration with Nature Kenya and other stakeholders.
For more information on the Dunga swamp contact:
Conservation Programme Manager
Nature Kenya
The East Africa Natural History Society
P.O. BOX 44486 0100 NAIROBI, KENYA
TEL 020 3741049
EMAIL: office@naturekenya.org
WEBSITE: www.naturekenya.org