There are seven marine
national parks along Kenya’s coast. They were established between
1968 and 1975 and were the first of their kind in Africa. Since then,
the long fringing coral reef that stretches along Kenya’s entire
coastline has been protected from over-fishing and damage by
Marine Park laws.
The reefs attract a myriad of fish, sea turtles and dolphins, and
shelter ideal beaches with calm, inviting waters. There are currently
around 250 species of marine fish and over 40 species of coral
along Kenya’s Indian Ocean coast. Of these, the more
unusual species include 150-year-old giant clams that lie off the
reef and the rare dugong - half mammal, half fish. The dugong appear to
have ‘breasts’ and early fishermen believed they were
looking at mermaids!
There are some 800 turtles living along the coast and feeding off the
sea grass, including a number of loggerhead and giant leatherback
turtles. The Kenya Wildlife Services take every precaution to protect
them, rescuing nests and protecting the eggs from scavengers,
such as jackal, that come on to the beach. Once enough small turtles
have hatched, the hatchlings are released into the sea.
The reefs are in pristine condition and a dhow trip for snorkelling
or other non-motorised watersports is a very popular way to spend
a day. It’s a fabulous destination for world class diving,
with spectacular coral gardens and drop offs. Alternatively, there
are glass-bottomed boats offering non-swimmers the opportunity to
take a look at the marine life.
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