A handful of national reserves and parks, such as the Masai Mara National Reserve and Tana Primate National Primate Reserve, are endangered. The Mara Reserve serves as home to many big cats, such as lions, as well as zebra and giraffe. The primate reserve contains several endangered primate species, such the Tana River mangabey and the Tana River red colobus, as well as a wealth of bird species, including the rare white-winged apalis.
National reserves also have surrounding areas known as Group Ranches, which are other stretches of ecosystems, many also endangered.
As in many countries, water is a valuable commodity in Kenya. Because of urban and agricultural demand, water ecosystems are among the most endangered. An example is Lake Elementaita, home to more than 400 species of birds, including flamingos. According to Kenya Wildlife Service research scientist Bernard Kuloba, 85 percent of the lake has been lost because of drought and human pressures such as irrigation.
The mountain regions of Kenya are balanced particularly delicately. Reduced snowfall over recent years has made water a scarce commodity. Humans are extracting more all the time from the environment, which leaves animals such as monkeys, antelopes, porcupines, and hyenas with less access to water. The demand on mountain water is part of the reason why sea-level lakes and rivers are currently running so low.
