Animal Info - Kenya

Contents

Threatened Species, Environmental and Social Data (Mammals, Biodiversity/Ecosystems, Population, Area/Land Use, Protected Lands, Economy, Education), References and Links

Threatened Species

Threatened Species: The following list includes all mammals which occur in Kenya and are rated as Critically Endangered (CR), Endangered (EN) or Vulnerable (VU) in the 2004 IUCN Red List of Threatened Animals. 

  • Critically Endangered:
    • Black Rhinoceros (Diceros bicornis).
    • Cosens's Gerbil (Gerbillus cosensis). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Hirola (Hunter's Antelope or Hartebeest) (Damaliscus hunteri).
    • Macow's Shrew (Crocidura macowi). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Peters's Musk Shrew (Crocidura gracilipes). 
    • Rainey Shrew (Crocidura raineyi). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Tana River Red Colobus (Procolobus rufomitratus). 
    • Ultimate Shrew (Crocidura ultima). (Endemic to Kenya.)
  • Endangered:
    • Aders' Duiker (Cephalophus adersi).
    • Black-and-rufous Elephant Shrew (Rhynchocyon petersi).
    • Blue Whale (Balaenoptera musculus).
    • Fin Whale (Balaenoptera physalus).
    • Giant African Water Shrew (Potamogale velox).
    • Giant Thicket Rat (Grammomys gigas). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Golden-rumped Elephant Shrew (Rhynchocyon chrysopygus). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Grevy's Zebra (Equus grevyi).
    • King Mole Rat (Tachyoryctes rex). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Mianzini Mole Rat (Tachyoryctes annectens). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Naivasha Mole Rat (Tachyoryctes naivashae). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis).
    • Wild Dog (Lycaon pictus).
  • Vulnerable:
    • Aberdare Shrew (Surdisorex norae). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • African Elephant (Loxodonta africana).
    • African Golden Cat (Profelis aurata). 
    • Audacious Mole Rat (Tachyoryctes audax). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus).
    • Dugong (Dugong dugon).
    • Dwarf Multimammate Mouse (Mastomys pernanus).
    • East African Collared Fruit Bat (Myonycteris relicta).
    • Eastern Tree Hyrax (Dendrohyrax validus).
    • Elgon Shrew (Crocidura elgonius).
    • Fischer's Shrew (Crocidura fischeri).
    • Hamilton's Tomb Bat (Taphozous hamiltoni).
    • Highland Shrew (Crocidura allex).
    • Hildegarde's Tomb Bat (Taphozous hildergardeae).
    • Hopkins's Groove-toothed Swamp Rat (Pelomys hopkinsi).
    • Humpback Whale (Megaptera novaeangliae).
    • Jackson's Mongoose (Bdeogale jacksoni).
    • Kenyan Big-eared Free-tailed Bat (Tadarida lobata).
    • Large-eared Free-tailed Bat (Otomops martiensseni).
    • Lesser Hamster-rat (Beamys hindei).
    • Lion (Panthera leo).
    • Mouse-tailed Bat Species (Rhinopoma macinnesi).
    • Mt. Kenya Shrew (Surdisorex polulus). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Red Bush Squirrel (Paraxerus palliatus).
    • Rombo Shrew (Crocidura monax).
    • Smoky White-toothed Shrew (Crocidura fumosa). (Endemic to Kenya.)
    • Soemmerring's Gazelle (Gazella soemmerringii). 
    • Sperm Whale (Physeter catodon).
    • Spotted-necked Otter (Lutra maculicollis). 
    • Springhare (Pedetes capensis).
    • Vermiculate Shrew (Crocidura xantippe).

Environmental and Social Data

Mammals

Total number of species: 359 (Groombridge & Jenkins 1994)
Number of endemic species: 21 (Groombridge & Jenkins 1994)
Number of threatened species: 1996: 43 (12 % of total species) (IUCN 1996); 2000: 51 (14 % of total species) (IUCN 2000)

Biodiversity/Ecosystems

Kenya contains portions of the Eastern Arc Montane Forests, East African Coastal Forests, East African Highland Forests, East African Acacia Savannas, East African Moorlands, Rift Valley Lakes, East African Mangroves, and East African Marine Ecosystems Global 200 Ecoregions (Olson & Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999)

Population

Population in 1995: 28,261,000 (Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995)
Population density in 1995: 48.5 people/sq km (125.6 people/sq mi) (Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995)
Population in 1998: 28,337,071 (World Almanac 1999)
Average population growth rate, 1980 - 1990: 3.8 % (World Bank 1992)

Area/Land Use

Area: 582,646 sq km (224,961 sq mi) (Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995)
Percentages of primary world ecosystem types:

  • Other Coastal Aquatic: 3 %
  • Desert and Semi-desert: 4 %
  • Grass and Shrub: 35 %
  • Crop and Settlements: 11 %
  • Interrupted Woods: 42 %
  • Major Forests: 5 %

(Groombridge 1992)

Percent of land area classified as the following degree of human disturbance: Low: 43 %; Medium: 45 %; High: 12 % (WRI 1994)

Protected Lands

Area: 34,700 sq km (13,394 sq mi) (Groombridge 1992)
Percent of land protected: 5.85 % totally protected; 0.1 % partially protected; 5.95 % totally or partially protected (Groombridge 1992)

Economy

Per capita GNP ($ U.S.) (1991): $350 (WRI 1994)
Per capita GDP ($ U.S.) (1996): $1,400 (World Almanac 1999)

Education

Percent of females in secondary education (1989): 19 % (World Bank 1992)
Percent adult literacy: Female: 59 % (1990), 19 % (1970); Male: 80 % (1990), 44 % (1970) (WRI 1994)

References and Links

References: Groombridge 1992, Groombridge & Jenkins 1994, IUCN 1994, IUCN 1996, IUCN 2000, IUCN 2004, Natl. Geog. Soc. 1995, Olson & Dinerstein 1998, Olson & Dinerstein 1999, World Almanac 1999, World Bank 1992, WRI 1994

General Links (After you get to one of these sites, click on the link for Kenya): CIA World Factbook, Foreign Embassies of Washington, D.C., Library of Congress - Country Studies, University of Texas - Country Maps, Washington Post - Countries, World Resources Institute - Country Profiles; Links for Kenya: Kenya Beasts, Laikipia Wildlife Forum, Lewa Wildlife Conservancy, Nature Kenya

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Last modified: February 19, 2006;

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