South African lesser flamingos threatened

This video from Kenya says about itself:

Greater Flamingos in front and Lesser Flamingos at back at Lake Nakuru National Park, Kenya.

From BirdLife:

South Africa’s flamingos under threat

10-07-2008

Development on the banks of Kamfers Dam outside the Northern Cape capital of Kimberley is threatening the only breeding population of Lesser Flamingos Phoeniconaias minor in South Africa. Kamfers Dam supports one of only four breeding populations in Africa. These birds bred during 2008, with an incredible 9,000 chicks hatching on the dam’s artificial flamingo breeding island. It is anticipated that regular breeding will reverse the negative population trend of this globally Near-Threatened species.

“The development of the site was a huge investment and would be a shame if it’s allowed to be destroyed by this threat” said Duncan Pritchard, the acting Executive Director of BirdLife South Africa (BirdLife in South Africa). Kamfers Dam is currently the depository for raw sewage that flows from the currently dysfunctional treatment plant, a result of poor management of the sewerage works by the Sol Plaatje Municipality. The increased constant eutrophication has led to severe algal blooms and may be responsible for the current lesions and abnormalities being recorded on some of the Lesser Flamingos.

See also here. And here. And here.

Update 2 September 2008: here.

Groundbreaking work will help Africa’s biodiversity combat climate change: here.