Lake Turkana National Parks - Kenya

Area (serial site):  1,614 km²

Inscribed: 1997 (extended 2001)

Criteria: (viii) geological (x) biodiversity

Values:  Lake Turkana, known as the Jade Sea, exists in a barren landscape in the semi-desert environment of northern Kenya. The three National Parks (Sibiloi, Central and Southern Islands) are a stopover for migrant waterfowl and are major breeding grounds for the Nile crocodile and provide an outstanding laboratory for the study of plant and animal communities. Sibiloi National park protects the Koobi Fora fossil deposits which are rich in pre-human, mammalian, molluscan and other fossil remains and have contributed more to the understanding of Quaternary Palaeo-environments than any other site on the continent.

Lake Turkana National Parks are inscribed on the world heritage list on the strength of their outstanding natural values, but the area's role as a crucible of human evolution is equally (if not more) important.  In time the area will undoubtedly be recognised on the world heritage list for these cultural values, and in the meantime we provide recognition of these important cultural attributes in the form of a downloadable pdf document on human origins and the remarkable fossils that have been discoverd at Koobi Fora and other places within the Lake Turkana basin (see below).

Slideshow of Lake Turkana National Parks

MAPS & SATELLITE IMAGES:  A selection of maps and Google Earth satellite images showing the main features of the Lake Turkana National Parks is available by clicking here.  This portfolio includes satellite imagery from the entire lake basin, illustrating some of the key threats to the integrity of Lake Turkana, including images of some of the hydropower installations on the key inflowining rivers (Ethiopia's Omo River and Kenya's Turkwel River), as well as one of the large-scale irrigated suger schemes in Ethiopia.

FURTHER INFORMATION AND ANALYSIS OF THREATS:  An excellent review of the threats currently facing Lake Turkana and their implications for conservation and development has recently been published in the magazine of the East African Wildlife Society, SWARA.  This impartial view of the consequences of Ethiopia's dams on the regional ecology and economy, by Dr Patrick Avery can be downloaded in pdf format by clicking here.

A further article in SWARA, with updated information on the potentially devastating impact of agricultural irrigation projects associated with the Gibe 3 dam now being constructed in Ethiopia has been written by expert hydrologist, Dr Sean Avery.  Download the article ('What future for Lake Turkana and its wildlife', January 2014) by clicking here.

Want to know more about Lake Turkana's import hominin fossil discoveries and their role in tracing the human family tree?

Download this 14-page guide to the key hominin fossils found at Lake Turkana and across the continent, and the story of human origins and evolution.  The Guide is based on displays at the National Museum of Kenya (Nairobi) and includes a narrative on human evolution; photos of 19 key hominin fossils; artists impressions of four human ancestors; a map of hominin fossil locations; a diagrammatic representation of the human family tree; and 'interest boxes' on stone tools and methods of dating fossils. To download this free educational guide, click here.

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Links to other places in Africa's Great Rift Valley:  Bwindi Impenetrable  l   Virunga  l  Kahuzi-Biega  l   Lake Malawi  l  Kenya Lake System

Links:  Google Earth | UNEP-WCMC Site Description |Official UNESCO Site Details | Management Authority: KWS | Birdlife IBA