National Parks Africa » Saiwa Swamp National Park

Saiwa Swamp National Park is the smallest in Kenya, covering an area of only 1.9 square kilometres (0.76 square miles). It encloses the fringing belt of rain forest and the swamps fed by the Saiwa River.

Saving sitatungas:
Saiwa was created specially to protect the sitatunga antelopes (about 80 to 100 in number) which live there. They spend most of the day half-submerged and hidden amid the floating vegetation. The hooves of this antelope are enormously elongated to about 18 centimetres (seven inches) which enable the animal to support its weight on the marshy ground. Camouflaged platforms have been built to allow visitors to see these rare animals.

Another rare species is the Brazza’s monkey, of which some 30 of the 200 left in Kenya live in the park. Other animals include spotted-necked otter, nocturnal potto and giant forest squirrel. The park lies 15 kilometres (nine miles) north of Kitale to the east of the main road to Lake Turkana.