Wildlife and habitat protection and conservation are paramount for attainment of sustainable development goals. Lake Bogoria Landscape is endowed with quite a number of ecosystems with free-range wildlife and unprotected wetlands, Kiborgoch included. Lake Bogoria, an Important Bird Area with more than 350 bird species, was in 2002 designated as a wetland of international importance under the Ramsar Convention. The spectacular lesser flamingo and the endemic Greater Kudu are among the wildlife species found. Despite its great significance, the region is plagued with environmental issues of biodiversity loss and land degradation occasioned by overexploitation of natural resources, driven by rampant poverty and the vagaries of extreme weather conditions.
Kiborgoch Conservancy, approximately half of which is a wetland, lies in the Baringo-Bogoria half-graben of central Kenya Rift Valley region and spans Loboi, Kapkuikui and Sandai locations in Marigat Division, Mochongoi Ward, Marigat Sub County in Baringo County. It covers approximately 35km2 and is estimated to be 3500 Hectares. The region, characterized by a semi-arid climate, receives precipitation of 700mm per annum and experiences mean annual temperatures of 23-25 ºC.
Kiborgoch Conservancy has an important role for biodiversity, recreation, livelihoods and other ecosystem services for local populations. It acts as a ?sponge?, by retaining water and moderating its flow. The ecosystem is a home to over 100 species of birds. Wild animals found in the Conservancy include sitatunga (Tragelaphus spekii) - an endangered species, plains zebra (Equus quagga), ostrich (Struthio camelus), waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), common warthog (Phacochoerus africanus), monkey (Cercopithecidae), olive baboon (Papio anubis), greater kudu (Tragelaphus strepsiceros), grant?s gazelle (Nanger granti), wild pig (Sus scrofa), dikdik (Rhynchotragus kirkii), tortoise, honey badger (Mellivora capensis), mongoose, squirrel, snakes, python, spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), hyrax (Hyracoidea), hippopotamus, alligators and crocodiles. Several insects ? mosquitoes and termites among others ? are also found in the ecosystem. In the recent past, the red Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) was discovered within the Conservancy. Mudfish (Clarias anguillaris) and African lungfish/Kamongo (Protopterus annectens), among other unidentified fish species, also inhabit the wetland.
Some of the vegetation species found in the Conservancy are Acacia tree species (Acacia nilotica, Acacia tortilis, Acacia senegal and Acacia melifera), Desert date (Balanites aegyptiaca), mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), shrubs and grass species, several of which are used by the local community for medicinal purposes. The swampy part of the ecosystem is dominated by southern cattail (Typha domingensis) -approximately 80% - and floating paper reed (Cyperus papyrus) - approximately 20%. Traversing the ecosystem are three permanent rivers ? Loboi, Waseges and Molo Rivers ? and three seasonal rivers ? Chepkornis, Cheptugen, Kapchepsoiyo. The conservancy is fed by two large warm springs (Lake Bogoria hotel spring and Chelaba spring) and a smaller spring (Turtle spring). Lorwai spring, whose source is a few metres off the ecosystem?s boundary, also flows through the ecosystem.
The waters of Loboi and Waseges Rivers, which are very important sources of water for the terrestrial wildlife and habitat for aquatic animals herein, are often over-abstracted for irrigation purposes in the surrounding Kamoskoi and Tembererwe irrigation schemes during the dry seasons. Chelaba spring?s water is also used for irrigation in Kapkuikui irrigation scheme. The situation is exacerbated by climate change-induced frequent droughts, which have led to drying up of the swamp, loss of livestock and escaping of wild animals from the Conservancy in search better pasture and water. This has resulted in frequent human-wildlife conflicts; the wildlife that attack cattle and goats are often killed by the area residents. Logging and encroachment by surrounding private farms into the swamp are among the key environmental problems experienced. It is against this backdrop that Kiborgoch Community Wildlife and Wetland Conservancy proposes urgent environmental rehabilitation and protection. In order to facilitate sound management and conservation of Kiborgoch ecosystem, which serves as a communal livestock grazing land with free-range wildlife, the community members would like to convert the ecosystem into a fully functional community conservancy. This will boost the habitat?s capacity to provide ecosystem goods and services.