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South & Central Island National Park

Kingdom of the crocodile

The wild and wind-lashed shores of Lake Turkana lie in the far north of Kenya, and in their shifting blue-green waters lie a series of live volcanic islands, home to the world’s largest concentration of Nile crocodiles. 

Fact File

  • Altitude: 355 meters above sea level. 
  • Area: South Island 39 sq km. Central Island 5 sq km. 
  • Location: Marsabit District, Eastern Province. 
  • Distance from Nairobi: 800 km north of Nairobi.
  • Gazetted: 1983. South Island opened in January 1983. Central Island opened January 1985.  
  • Climate: scorching hot and arid (especially December-March). June and July are the coolest months. May-September very strong winds blow morning and evening. Rainfall is less than 250 mm pa, and in some places it may not rain for several years. 
  • Vegetation: the vegetation is scant, but some of the sheltered areas are overgrown with thick grass and bushes for a short period each year. 
  • Wildlife: the islands are home to hippo, bats and the world’s largest Nile crocodile population.  
  • Birds: more than 350 recorded species including large flocks of flamingo. Fish: there are 60 recorded species of fish in the lake.  
  • Roads: high-clearance 4WD is essential all year round. Travel in convoy is recommended.

Highlights:

The tempestuous ‘Jade Sea’

The largest permanent desert lake in the world, Lake Turkana is an isolated chloro-carbonate alkaline giant covering 6,400 sq km. Its mercurial blue-green colour has earned it the title ‘The Jade Sea’. 

South Island National Park

Established in 1983 to protect its population of crocodile, hippo and venomous snakes, this unique island is actually the narrow crescent rim of a submerged volcano. Covered end to end in volcanic ash, the nightly glow of its luminous vents has inspired numerous tales of ghosts and evil spirits. 

An unsolved mystery

In July 1934 an expedition led by Vivian Fuchs (later knighted for his exploratory work in Antarctica) landed on South island. Two men were left on the island to carry out the research; neither were seen again.   

Central Island National Park

Emerging starkly from the lake’s waters, Central Island is made up of three active volcanoes, still belching sulphurous smoke and steam. At night, the lake’s luminous waters wash up onto a black lava beach while the moon rises over the menacingly smoking craters. Three crater lakes, Crocodile Lake, Flamingo Lake and Tilapia Lake, provide breeding grounds for the world’s largest concentration of Nile crocodiles (estimated to number around 12,000).  

Crocodile kingdom

Survivors of an epoch long before mankind, Lake Turkana’s estimated 12,000 crocodiles have not changed in 130 million years. Despite their monstrous size and formidable appearance they are generally inoffensive creatures living in perfect harmony with their environment and feeding on the lake’s prolific fish.  

The world’s largest crocodile nursery

Crocodiles breed on the shores of the island’s crater lakes between April and May. The baby crocodiles can be heard squeaking in their eggs, which are buried deep beneath the sand to escape the predatory attentions of monitor lizards and raptors. Their cries bring their parents scurrying to dig them out and carry them down to the water’s edge, where they spend their first months.

Venomous reptile and prehistoric fish

Turkana is home to some of the world’s most venomous reptiles, including saw-scaled viper, night and puff adder and cobra. There are also many species of fish including huge Nile perch and large tilapia. Puffer fish, a group normally found in seawater, indicate Turkana’s prehistoric connection to the Red Sea. 

Abundant birdlife

The islands are home to a profusion of birdlife (over 84 water bird species), including 34 species of European migrants most spectacularly viewed as they return home between March and May. At least 23 species breed here, including goliath heron and African skimmer, while African open-billed stork, duck and gulls feed on the shores and the volcanic island lakes attract lesser flamingos. Birds of prey are also abundant, especially swallow-tailed kites.

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