The Meru Wind Park is proposed to comprise about 78 km2 at approximately 250 km north-northeast from Nairobi.
The global aim of this study is to establish comprehensive baseline information on the avian and bats communities in the project area, in line with requirements of the international environmental standards and with the application of internationally recognized scientific methods. This information is crucial for the turbines layout planning and other infrastructures within the project area taking into account the potential impacts. The data gathered here should be used to propose appropriate mitigation measures against possible negative effects of the proposed project on birds and bats.
Specific objectives of this study included:
Birds
- To identify which bird species use the MWP area;
- To determine the seasonal and spatial variation in the abundance of each species;
- To identify the main sector(s) and/or corridor(s) of the study area used by birds in their movements;
- To evaluate the potential for bird collisions with the wind turbines.
Bats
- Species’ composition of the bat assemblages present in the project area;
- Bat habitat use and distribution throughout the year;
- Nightly and seasonal variation in bat activity, giving particular attention to species that fly high above the ground;
- Effect of weather variables on bat activity, defining the weather range in which bats are most active.
