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A number of alien or naturally occurring pathogens
and parasites also threaten many species of plants
and animals. They can become a problem as wildlife
and people come into closer contact. The pandemic
epizootic virus, Rinderpest, caused a continent-wide
loss of wild ungulates after it was transmitted from
cattle in the late 1800s. The canine distemper virus
transmitted by dogs killed a third of the lions in Mara-
Serengeti in the 1990s. Tuberculosis and anthrax
periodically kill many native animals, including
elephants and primates. Rift Valley fever, a highly fatal
mosquito-borne viral zoonosis closely associated with
prolonged episodes of rainfall and flooding, can also
cause serious disease in both animals and humans
(Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2007).
The variety of aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems found
in the LVB, provide important habitats for a number
of birds. Common bird species include cormorants,
ducks, egrets, herons, plovers, jacanas, wagtails, waders,
kingfishers, storks, pelicans, warblers, cranes, ibis, black-
headed herons, lapwing, jacana and white pelican (Lake
Victoria Basin Commission 2007).
Lutembe Bay on the northern shores of Lake Victoria,
at the mouth of Murchison Bay between Entebbe and
Kampala, is one of 30 Important Bird Areas (IBAs) in
Uganda (Byaruhanga et al. 2001). The bay regularly
supports 20,000–50,000 roosting and feeding water
birds and seven globally threatened species: the
papyrus yellow warbler (
Chloropeta gracilirostris
), the
papyrus gonolek (
Laniarius mufumbiri
), the shoebill
(
Balaeniceps rex
), the African skimmer (
Rhynchops
flavirostris
), the pallid harrier (
Circus macrouros
), the
great snipe (
Gallinago media
) and the Madagascar
squacco heron (
Ardeola idea
). There are also 24 species
of regional concern. As well as supporting a large
diversity of African species, it is an important non-
breeding area for huge congregations of palearctic
migrants. Lutembe Bay regularly hosts over 70 per
cent of the global population of white-winged black
terns (
Chlidonias leucopterus
) (Byaruhanga 2003), as
well as large numbers of grey-headed gulls (
Larus
cirrocepharus
), black-headed gulls (
Larus ridibundus
)
and gull-billed terns (
Sterna nilotica
).
Bird species found around Lake Victoria, but rarely
seen elsewhere in Kenya, include the blue-breasted
bee-eater, the blue swallow, the swamp flycatcher, the
greater swamp-warbler, the white-winged warbler, the
papyrus yellow warbler, the carruthers’ cisticola, the
papyrus gonolek, the red-chested sunbird, the red-
headed quelea, the slender-billed weaver, the yellow-
backed weaver, the northern brown-throated weaver,
the black-throated seedeater and the papyrus canary
(Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2007).
The Akanyaru Wetlands, on the border between
Rwanda and Burundi, is home to more than 100 bird
species including threatened bird species such as
the papyrus yellow warbler (
Chloropeta gracilirostris
)
and the Madagascar pond heron (
Ardeola idea
) (Lake
Victoria Basin Commission,2007).
The Mpungwe Mountain Chain in Burundi, located near
the Ruvubu National Park, is unprotected but ensures
connectivity with the neighbouring Ruvubu National
Park, an International Bird Area hosting endangered
species such as the handsome francolin (
Francolinus
nobilis
) (Lake Victoria Basin Commission 2007).
African skimmer (
Rhynchops flavirostris
)
Pallid harrier (
Circus macrouros
)
Blue-breasted bee-eater (
Merops variegatus
)