Kamfers Damhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamfers_DamKamfers Dam is a privately owned permanent water body[1] of 400 ha, situated to the immediate north of Kimberley, South Africa. The wetland was originally an ephemeral pan, often dry and dependent on rain water. In recent times its water level rose due to the input of constant runoff and treated water from the growing city of Kimberley.[2]
The area of water at the dam has become a major breeding site for lesser flamingos since the construction of an artificial island.[3] The dam and surrounding 380ha wetland area are designated as a conservation zone in the city's draft spatial development plan.[4] As of 2008 though, pollution and rezoning of nearby land for the proposed Northgate development has become a contentious issue, with conservationists raising alarm.[4]
Lesser flamingosThe dam harbours high concentrations of blue-green algae (Spirulina spp) and diatoms (Cyclotella spp.), the main food sources for its plentiful lesser flamingos. The dam typically supports 20,000 lesser flamingos, but occasionally over 50,000 individuals are present, a large proportion of the subregion's total population.[1] The birds are mobile and commute between the major feeding sites in southern Africa.[5]
Construction of islandThe dam has become an important breeding site for lesser flamingos since an artificial S-shaped breeding island was constructed in September 2006. Ornithologist Mark D. Anderson enlisted the help of a local company Ekapa Mining, who moved 26,000 tons of material to create the island. All was delivered along a narrow 200m causeway, and deposited in an S-shape to create two bays.[6][7]
2,000 adult lesser flamingos assembled on an artificial S-shaped breeding island in Kamfers Dam
A submerged pump driven by solar panels delivers water to four ponds where the flamingos can collect clay to build their nest turrets.[1] A thousand artificial nest turrets were constructed in the hope that flamingos would settle on the island, and within weeks some 10,000 birds had arrived. These birds departed for winter but a larger flock of some 20,000 returned in September 2007 and commenced breeding over the midsummer months, ignoring the man-made turrets and building their own.[1]
Conservation valueIn the summer season of 2007/8 almost two thousand pairs of lesser flamingo bred on the island, producing an estimated 9,000 chicks. The breeding success is expected to reverse the recent negative population trend in the southern population.[3] This breeding colony became the first for the species in South Africa, the fourth in Africa and one of 6 in the world.[1]
The new breeding site is considered to be of special importance as the most important Lake Natron is threatened by proposed soda ash mining,[8] while Etosha Pan is only productive once every 9 years.[1] The island also offers unusual insight into flamingo biology since typical breeding sites are much less accessible. Webcams are to be installed when the flamingos vacate the island, to facilitate observations and to increase public awareness.
Author
Topic: Lesser Flamingos at Kamfers Dam Kimberly, South Africa (Read 76879 times)