Researchers stranded, animals displaced as Lake Naivasha overflows
By Antony Gitonga, November 11, 2025The rising water levels in Lake Naivasha look far from over, and the waters are not sparing anything from estates, farms and major government infrastructure.
The latest casualties are the multi-million-dollar Wildlife Research and Training Institute (WRTI) wetland research centre and hippo camps, which have been flooded, completely paralysing operations.
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As a result, the Institute has been left counting losses running into millions of shillings as the staff moved in to salvage research equipment and materials.
This came as more animals, including zebras, giraffes and antelopes, were displaced by the floods, raising fears of a rise in cases of human-wildlife conflict in the nearby estates.
According to WRTI Director Patrick Omondi, the institute had four major research centres, including the one in Naivasha, which was currently inaccessible.
He termed the flooding as a major threat to research in the country, as the process of producing fingerlings in the Naivasha centre had kicked off before the environmental crisis hit.
“At the moment, no one has an idea what is causing the rise in water levels, and we are working with our colleagues, including geologists, to understand this rare phenomenon,” he said.
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Displaced animals
Speaking near the flooded centre on Monday, November 10, 2025, he said that tens of wild animals around the lake had been displaced, thus exposing them to poaching from nearby estates.
“The animals were safe in the camp, which incidentally is the largest in Nakuru County, and we are seeking alternative land to set up the research centre,” he said.
On his part, the Institute Principal Research Scientist, Vincent Obanda, said that the flooding phenomena had been reported in various lakes in the Rift Valley.
He called for joint research among scientists to establish the real cause of the flooding while ruling out rainfall in the catchment, as reported in some quarters.
“Lake Naivasha levels have been rising at 90 meters every month, but in the last month this had changed, flooding the research centre, nearby estates and farms,” he said.
The Institute Deputy Director of Research, David Ndereeh, said that they had embarked on the process of translocating tens of wildlife displaced by the lake.
He said that in conjunction with KWS, they had identified the most affected areas and animals while the process of transferring the animals had kicked off.
“It’s not only human beings who have been affected by the rising waters but also wild animals, and we have started the process of trans-locating those affected,” he said.