REPUBLIC OF KENYA FIFTH NATIONAL REPORT TO THE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES TO THE CONVENTION ON BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY 2015 ACRONYMS ABS Access and Benefit Sharing ASALs Arid and Semi-arid Lands AWF African Wildlife Foundation CBD Convention on Biological Diversity CBO Community-based Organization CDF Constituency Development Fund CGAIR Consultative Group of Agricultural International Research CIKSAP Centre for Indigenous Knowledge and Products CIMMYT International Maize and Wheat Research Centre CIP International Potato Research Centre CITES Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna COP Conference of Parties CSO Civil Society Organizations DVS Department of Veterinary Services EAWS East African Wildlife Society EIA Environmental Impact Assessment EMCA Environmental Management and Co-ordination Act ERSW & EC Economic Recovery Strategy for Wealth and Employment Creation ESA Ecologically Sensitive Area FAN Forest Action Network FAO Food and Agricultural Organization FONA Friends of the Nairobi Arboretum GEF Global Environment Facility GIS Global Information Systems GOK Government of Kenya GTZ German Agency for Technical Co-operation Ha Hectares HEP Hydro-electric Power IBA Important Bird Area ICIPE International Centre for Insect Physiology and Ecology KENYA 5 TH NATIONAL REPORT IDPs Internally Displaced Persons IFAD International Fund for Agricultural Development ILRI International Livestock Research Institute IPR Intellectual Property Rights ITDG Intermediate Technology Development Group-Kenya IUCN World Conservation Union KARI Kenya Agricultural Research Institute KEFRI Kenya Forestry Research Institute KMFRI Kenya Marine and Fisheries Research Institute KEPHIS Kenya Plant Health Inspectorate Services KESREF Kenya Sugar Research Foundation KNBS Kenya National Bureau of Statistics KWS Kenya Wildlife Service LEAP List of East African Plants LVBC Lake Victoria Basin Commission LVEMP Lake Victoria Environnent Management Programme EEZ Exclusive Economic Zone KFSC Kenya Forestry Seed Centre ICRAF International Centre for Research in Agro-forestry ILDP Ilkerin Loita Development Project IITA International Institute for Tropical Agriculture ISTA International Seed Testing Association M & E Monitoring and Evaluation MOU Memorandum of Understanding NARS National Agricultural Research Systems NBSAP National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan NCST National Council for Science & Technology NEAP National Environnent Action Plan NEMA National Environnent Management Authority ii KENYA 5 TH NATIONAL REPORT NES National Environnent Secretariat NGO Non-governmental Organization NMK National Museums of Kenya NPEP National Poverty Eradication Programme PCPU Plant Conservation and Propagation Unit PEV Post-election violence PGRs Plant Genetic Resources PRSP Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper SBSTTA Subsidiary Body for Technical and Technological Advice SGP Small Grants Programme SPECK Society for the Protection of the Environment in Kenya Sp. /Spp. Species UNCCD United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification UNCED UN Conference on Environment and Development UNEP United Nations Environment Programme UNESCO UN Economic, Social and Cultural Organization UNFCCC United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change UON University of Nairobi USAID United States Agency for International Development WRUA Water Resources Users Association iii KENYA 5 TH NATIONAL REPORT TABLE OF CONTENTS ACRONYMS ............................................................................................................................................................... i TABLE OF CONTENTS ........................................................................................................................................ iv EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ....................................................................................................................................... 1 1 BIODIVERSITY STATUS AND TRENDS IN KENYA ........................................................................... 3 1.1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................................................... 3 1.2 Biodiversity status in Kenya ............................................................................................................................ 3 1.3 Biodiversity by types .......................................................................................................................................... 4 1.3.1.1 PLANT BIODIVERSITY .............................................................................................................................................. 4 1.3.1.2 FUNGAL DIVERSITY ................................................................................................................................................ 10 1.3.1.3 THREATENED PLANTS .......................................................................................................................................... 11 1.3.1.4 ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY ......................................................................................................................................... 13 1.3.1.5 AVIFAUNA ................................................................................................................................................................... 14 1.4 CASE STUDY: Migratory bird species: ....................................................................................................... 22 1.4.1.1 REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS .............................................................................................................................. 23 1.4.1.2 BENEFITS OF REPTILES AND AMPHIBIANS ................................................................................................. 25 1.4.1.3 SMALL MAMMALS: ................................................................................................................................................... 26 1.4.1.4 The value of small mammals in Kenya ............................................................................................................. 27 1.4.1.5 FISHES ........................................................................................................................................................................... 28 1.4.1.6 INVERTERBRATES ................................................................................................................................................... 31 1.4.1.7 Bee diversity in Kenya ............................................................................................................................................. 32 1.4.1.8 Butterflies and Moths (Lepidoptera) in Kenya ............................................................................................. 33 1.4.1.9 Role of Lepidoptera in Sericulture ..................................................................................................................... 35 1.4.1.10 Prawns ..................................................................................................................................................................... 36 2 MAIN PRESSURES ON BIODIVERSITY............................................................................................... 38 2.1 Rapid population growth ................................................................................................................................ 38 2.2 Drivers of biodiversity loss ............................................................................................................................ 39 2.2.1.1 Population growth and trends in Kenya ......................................................................................................... 42 2.3 Expansion of agriculture ................................................................................................................................. 42 2.4 Overexploitation of biological resources .................................................................................................. 46 2.5 Climate change .................................................................................................................................................... 46 2.6 Invasive alien species ....................................................................................................................................... 46 2.6.1.1 Alien/invasive animals ........................................................................................................................................... 47 2.6.1.2 Alien/invasive plants ............................................................................................................................................... 47 3 IMPACTS AND TRENDS IN ECOSYSTEMS AND SPECIES TRENDS IN ECOSYSTEMS ...... 48 3.1 Water towers of national importance: ...................................................................................................... 49 3.2 Montane, dry and coastal forests ................................................................................................................. 51 3.3 Moorland and Afroalpine ................................................................................................................................ 55 iv KENYA 5 TH NATIONAL REPORT 3.4 Inland waters, rivers and wetlands ............................................................................................................ 55 3.5 Coastal and Marine Ecosystems