Priority Ecosystems and Species

Kenya is rich in biological diversity. Around 25,000 species of animal and 7000 species of plants have so far been recorded, along with at least 2000 fungi and bacteria. It is now clear that this rich biodiversity is under threat from a variety of sources some of which are natural while others are anthropogenic. Without concerted effort for research and focused conservation actions, we are likely to lose many species and the ecosystems in which they are found. 

Currently, the status of several of these ecosystems and species is as indicated on the tabs on the left.

NO

ECOSYSTEM/AREA

COUNTY

1

Kerio valley

Baringo

2

Mt. Kulal

Garissa

3

Athi-Kitengela & Kaputei Plains

Kajiado

4

Kimana Group Ranch

Kajiado

5

Kuku A  and B Group Ranches

Kajiado

6

Lolorashi  Group Ranch

Kajiado

7

Mashuru

Kajiado

8

Mbirikani Group Ranch

Kajiado

9

Ol Gulului

Kajiado

10

Ol Gulului Trust Land

Kajiado

11

Rombo Group Ranch

Kajiado

12

Selengei Group Ranch

Kajiado

13

West Chyulu National Park

Kajiado

14

Kipini

Lamu

15

Lango la Simba Ranch

Lamu

16

Nairobi Ranch

Lamu

17

Witu forest

Lamu

18

Machakos ranches

Machakos

19

Central and Southern Islands National Parks

Marsabit

20

Sibiloi National Park

Marsabit

21

Nairobi National park

Nairobi

22

Lake Elementaita and its catchment and its basin

Naivasha

23

Marula Ranch

Naivasha

24

Lake Nakuru N.P and its catchment

Nakuru

25

Marula ranch

Nakuru

26

Mau Forest Complex

Nakuru,Bomet,Narok,Kericho

27

Soysambu Ranch

Nakuru/Naivasha

28

Eburru Forest

Narok

29

Koiyaki

Narok

30

Loita hills, Plains and Forest

Narok

31

Maji Moto

Narok

32

Mara Conservancy

Narok

33

Mara National Reserve

Narok

34

Nguruman

Narok

35

Ol Choro Orua

Narok

36

Ol Pieyei

Narok

37

Olare Orok Lemek

Narok

38

Siana

Narok

39

Suswa

Narok

40

Mt. Nyiro

Samburu

41

Sheikh Salim Ranch

Taita Taveta

42

Tana Primate National Primate Reserve

Tana river

43

Lake Turkana

Turkana

44

Loima hills

Turkana

NO

AREA

COUNTY

1

Aberdare Ecosystem Ranges

Nyandarua/Nyeri

2

Baringo Ecosystem

Baringo

3

Boni-Dodori -Kiunga Ecosystem

Garissa/Lamu

4

Lake Naivasha Ecosystem

Nakuru

5

Malindi- Watamu Ecosystem

Kilifi

6

Marsabit Ecosystem

Marsabit

7

Mt. Elgon Ecosystem

Bungoma/Trans Nzoia

8

Mt. Kenya Ecosystem

Meru/Tharaka/Kirinyaga/Nyeri/Laikipia

9

Shimba Hills Ecosystem

Kwale

10

Tsavo Ecosystem

Tana River/Taita Taveta/ Kitui

NO

ECOSYSTEM AREA

COUNTY

1

Aberdares Ecosystem

Nyandarua,  Nyeri

2

Bonjoge Forest

Nandi

3

Cherangany Forests

Trans Nzoia

4

Chyulu Hills

Makueni/Kajiado

5

Kakamega Forest National Reserve

Kakamega

6

Karura Forest

Nairobi

7

Kibwezi Forest

Makueni

8

Loita Hills

Narok/Kajiado

9

Marsabit Forest

Marsabit

10

Mathews Range

Samburu

11

Mau Forest Complex Ecosystem

Nakuru/Bomet/Narok/Kericho

12

Mt. Elgon Ecosystem

Bungoma/Trans Nzoia

13

Mt. Kenya Ecosystem

Meru/Tharaka/Kirinyaga/Nyeri/Laikipia

14

Dundori Hills

Nakuru

15

Ngong Forest

Kajiado

16

Ol Donyo Sabuk  

Machakos

17

Shimba Hills Ecosystem

Kwale

18

Taita Hills

Taita Taveta

NO

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

1

Aders' duiker

Cephalophus adersi

2

African elephant

Loxodonta Africana

3

African lion

Panthera leo

4

African wild dog

Lycaon pictus

5

Barbour's vlei rat

Otomys barbouri

6

Black rhinoceros

Diceros bicornis

7

Blue whale

Balaenoptera musculus

8

Cheetah

Acinonyx jubatus

9

Coalfish whale

Balaenoptera borealis

10

Eastern bongo

Tragelaphus eurycerus isaaci

11

Eastern red colobus

Procolobus rufomitratus

12

Giant thicket rat

Grammomys gigas

13

Golden-rumped elephant shrew

 Rhynchocyon chrysopygus

14

Grevy's zebra

Equus grevyi

15

Hirola

Beatragus hunteri

16

Lelwel hartebeest

Alcelaphus buselaphus

17

Leopard

Panthera pardus

18

Mount Elgon vlei rat

Otomys jacksoni

19

Roan antelope

Hippotragus equinus

20

Rothschild’s giraffe

Giraffa camelopardalis rothschildi

21

Sable antelope

Hippotragus niger

22

Sitatunga

Tragelaphus spekii

23

Striped hyaena

Hyaena Hyaena

24

Tana crested mangabey

Cercocebus galeritus

25

White rhino

Ceratotherium simum simum

NO

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

1

Abbott's starling

Cinnyricinclus femoralis

2

Aberdare cisticola

Cisticola aberdare

3

Amani sunbird

Anthreptes pallidigaster

4

Basra reed-warbler

Acrocephalus griseldis

5

Blue swallow

Hirundo atrocaerulea

6

Chapin's flycatcher

Muscicapa lendu

7

Clarke's weaver

Ploceus golandi

8

Eastern imperial eagle

Aquila heliaca

9

Egyptian vulture

Neophron percnopterus

10

Greater spotted eagle

Aquila clanga

11

Hinde's pied-babbler

Turdoides hindei

12

Karamoja apalis

Apalis karamojae

13

Lappet-faced vulture

Torgos tracheliotos

14

Lesser kestrel

Falco naumanni

15

Madagascar pond-heron

Ardeola idae

16

Madagascar pratincole

Glareola ocularis

17

Papyrus yellow warbler

Chloropeta gracilirostris

18

Saker falcon

Falco cherrug

19

Sharpe's longclaw

Macronyx sharpei

20

Sokoke pipit

Anthus sokokensis

21

Sokoke scops-owl

Otus ireneae

22

Spotted ground-thrush

Zoothera guttata

23

Taita apalis

Apalis fuscigularis

24

Taita thrush

Turdus helleri

25

Turner's eremomela

Eremomela turneri

26

White-headed vulture

Trigonoceps occipitalis

27

White-winged apalis

Apalis chariessa

NO

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

1

Baobab gecko 

Hemidactylus platycephalus

2

Black necked spotters 

Naja nigricollis

3

Black turtle 

Chelonia agassizi

4

Crevice tortoise

Malacochersus tornieri

5

Delicate spiny reed frog

Afrixalus delicatus

6

Du toit's torrent frog

Petropedetes dutoiti

7

East African egg eating snakes 

Dasypeltis medici

8

Elliot's chameleon 

Chamaeleo ellioti

9

Flap-neck chameleon 

Chamaeleo dilepis

10

Forest frog

Afrixalus sylvaticus

11

Gaboon viper 

Bitis gabonica gabonica

12

Girdled-lizard 

Cordylus tropidosternum

13

Green mamba

Dendroaspis angusticeps

14

Green turtle

Chelonia mydas

15

Günther’s centipede-eater 

Aparallactus turneri

16

Hawksbill turtle

Eretmochelys imbricata

17

High casqued chameleon 

Chamaeleo Hohnelii

18

Jackson's chameleon

three-horned chameleon,Chamaeleo jacksoni

19

Keel-bellied lizard 

Gastropholis prasina

20

Kemp's ridley 

Lepidochelys kempii

21

Kenya sand boar 

Eryx colubrinus

22

Large brown spitting cobra 

Naja ashei

23

Leatherback

Dermochelys coriacea

24

Loggerhead

Caretta caretta

25

Long reed frog

Hyperolius nasutus

26

Montane toad

Bufo kerinyagae

27

Montane tree frog

Hyperolius cystocandicans

28

Mount Kenya chameleon 

Chamaeleo schubotzi

29

Mount Kenya frog

Phrynobatrachus irangi

30

Mt. Kenya bush viper 

Atheris desaixi

31

Nairobi toad

Bufo nairobiensis

32

Olive ridley

Lepidochelys olivacea

33

Painted reed frog

Hyperolius marmoratus

34

Puff adder 

Bitis arietans

35

Rock python

Python sebae

36

Savannah monitor lizard 

Varanus albigularis

37

Shimba hills banana frog

Afrixalus sylvaticus

38

Shimba hills reed frog

Hyperolius rubrovermiculatus

39

Side-striped chameleon

Chamaeleo bitaeniatus

40

Silvery tree frog 

Leptopelis argenteus

41

Speckled bush snake 

Philothamnus punctatus

42

Spotted reed frog

Hyperolius puncticulatus

43

Taita toad 

Bufo taitanus

44

Treefrog

Hyperolius rubrovermiculatus

45

Tropical geckos 

Hemidactylus modestus

46

Turkana mud turtle

Pelusios broadleyi

47

Turkana toad

Bufo turkanae

48

Water lily reed frog

Hyperolius pusillus

49

Worm snakes

Leptotyphlops boulengeri

50

Writhing skink 

Lygosoma tanae

51

Yellow-bellied hinged terrapin

Pelusios castanoides

52

Yellow-spotted tree frog 

Leptopelis flavomaculatus

NO

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

1

Bigeye tuna 

Thunnus obesus

2

Black-blotched stingray

Taeniura meyeni

3

Blue notho 

Nothobranchius patrizii

4

Boji plains nothobranch 

Nothobranchius bojiensis

5

Bowmouth guitarfish 

Rhina ancylostoma

6

Brindle bass

Epinephelus lanceolatus

7

Elongate nothobranch

Nothobranchius elongatus

8

Ewaso nyiro labeo 

Labeo percivali

9

Giant guitarfish 

Rhynchobatus djiddensis

10

Giant wrasse

Cheilinus undulatus

11

Great white shark

Carcharodon carcharias

12

Grey nurse shark 

Carcharias taurus

13

Jipe tilapia

Oreochromis jipe

14

Kyoga flameback

Xystichromis nuchisquamulatus

15

Lake Chala tilapia 

Oreochromis hunteri

16

Lake Victoria deepwater catfish 

Xenoclarias eupogon

17

Magadi tilapia 

Alcolapia alcalicus

18

Montane dancing-jewel 

Platycypha amboniensis

19

Oceanic whitetip shark 

Carcharhinus longimanus

20

Porcupine ray

Urogymnus asperrimus

21

Rainbow sheller 

Ptyochromis sp

22

Shorttail nurse shark 

Pseudoginglymostoma brevicaudatum

23

Singidia tilapia 

Oreochromis esculentus

24

Victoria stonebasher 

Marcusenius victoriae

25

Victoria tilapia 

Oreochromis variabilis

26

Whale shark 

Rhincodon typus

NO

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

1

Camphor

Ocotea kenyensis

2

East African sandalwood 

Osyris lanceolata

3

Meru oak 

Vitex keniensis

4

Parasol tree 

Polyscias kikuyuensis

5

Rat aloe

Aloe ballyi

6

Red stinkwood

Prunus africana

7

Tana river poplar 

Populus ilicifolia

8

Voi cycad 

Encephalartos kisambo

NO

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

1

Beautiful fruit dove 

Ptilinopus pulchellus

2

Black-chinned fruit dove 

Ptilinopus leclancheri

3

Brother’s island tuatara lizard 

Sphenodon guntheri

4

Brown tree snake 

Boiga irregularis

5

Burmese star tortoise 

Geochelone platynota

6

Chaffinch

Fringilla coelebs

7

Common

european

8

Common indian myna 

Acridotheres tristis

9

Coroneted fruit dove

Ptilinopus coronulatus

10

Coypu rat 

Myocastor coypus

11

House crow 

Corvus splendens

12

House finch 

Carpodacus mexicanus

13

Mariana fruit dove 

Ptilinopus roseicapilla

14

Mute swan 

Cygnus olor

15

Orange-throated whiptail lizard 

Aspidoscelis hyperythra beldingi

16

Pink-spotted fruit dove

Ptilinopus perlatus

17

Rainbow kopje skink 

Lampropholis delicata

18

Red diamond rattlesnake 

Crotalus exsul

19

Red-billed quelea 

Quelea quelea

20

Red-headed agama lizard 

Agama agama

21

Ring-necked pheasant

Phasianus colchicus

22

Rock dove

feral pigeon,Columba livia

23

Rose-ringed (ring-necked) parakeet 

Psittacula krameri

24

Speckled mousebird

Colius striatus

25

Speckled mousebird 

Colius striatus

26

starling

Sturnus vulgaris

27

Wompoo fruit dove 

Ptilinopus magnificus

NO

COMMON NAME

SCIENTIFIC NAME

1

Crown of thorns 

Acanthaster planci

2

Drooping prickly pear 

Opuntia vulgaris

3

Jimsonweed 

Datura stramoniun

4

Long spine cactus 

Opuntia exaltata

5

Mathenge

velvet mesquite,Prosopis juliflora

6

Mauritius thorn 

Caesalpinia decapelata

7

Mexican poppy 

Argemone mexicana

8

Nile cabbage

Pistia stratiotes

9

Sweet prickly pear 

Opuntia ficus- indica

10

Tickberry

Lantana camara

11

Water hyacinth 

Eichhornia crassipes

12

Yellow bells 

Tecoma stans

13

Yellow oleander 

Thevetia peruviana

 

COMMON NAME

 

ANIMALS

1

Butterfly

2

Chameleon

3

Crocodile

4

Frog

5

Lizard

6

Reptile

7

Snail

8

Snake

9

Tortoise

10

Bees

11

Wild silk moths

  
 

PLANTS

1

Aloe

2

Camphor basil Ocimum kilimanscharicum

3

East african sandalwood Osyris lanceolata

4

Red stinkwood Prunus Africana

5

White’s ginger (mkombera) Mondia whytei

  
 BIRDS
1Ostrich
2Pigeon
3Dove
4Duck
5Helmeted Guinea fowl
6Vulturine Guinea fowl
7Quelea

* Game farming requires special permits from Kenya Wildlife Service