Fringed by extinct volcanoes on one side and open plains of savannah on the other, Lake Nakuru is a sanctuary for millions of wild birds which flock to its tranquil shores every year.
Hidden in the depths of east Africa's Great Rift Valley, the vast lake is covered in a sheet of a million frosted-pink flamingos, cooing as they feed off algae, while great white pelicans, marabou storks and African fish-eagles circle above.
But this haven for exotic creatures is seen as one of the potential entry points for deadly bird flu into Africa.
The H5N1 bird flu virus is endemic in poultry in parts of Asia where it has killed almost 70 people. It has spread into eastern Europe and Kuwait and there are fears migratory birds could now carry it to east Africa.
Africa, already struggling under the twin burdens of AIDS and malaria, is seen as particularly vulnerable to the virus.
"Africa is not like Europe or Asia, we have a different situation here which means the problems in dealing with bird flu will be different and specific to Africa," says Robert Hepworth, a United Nations official who heads the Convention on Migratory Species.
Controlling an outbreak here is likely to be difficult as poultry farming is often on a small scale and free range.
Bird flu remains hard for people to catch, but there are fears it could mutate into a form which can pass easily from human to human, sparking a pandemic in which millions could die.
Few in this area of Kenya, only 160 km (100 miles) from the capital, Nairobi, know what bird flu is and what it could mean.
A few kilometres from Lake Nakuru, chickens cluck nervously, scattering around the wooden doorways of the small concrete houses on Pondamalli Estate, while waddling ducks dip their beaks into nearby pools of sewage.
The towering garbage pile in front of the estate is a perfect rendezvous for wild birds and domestic birds to intermingle as they feed off scraps of rubbish. Migratory birds can pass on the virus in their droppings.
"Wild birds from the lake come here all the time and mix with our chickens and ducks," says 35-year-old resident Ester Nyamwange, a mother of five children. "I've heard of bird flu but I don't know what it means and if our chickens die, we will just bury them because no one has told us what to do."
People in Pondamalli talk of chickens dying in the area, but add there is a culture of hiding sick or dead birds, fearing they will not be able to sell the seemingly healthy ones.
"I think public awareness is essential in preparing Africa should this bird flu virus reach us," says Philip Nyaga, professor of virology at the University of Nairobi.
"If people know about the virus and the symptoms, they can respond appropriately and not mis-diagnose treatment."
In a small cafe in Nakuru town, 47-year-old Stanley Wathinji sips from a bottle of Fanta. A buyer and seller of chickens, he has little faith the government will compensate him if he has to slaughter his birds.
"I keep around 500 chickens and if the government tells me to kill my chickens, it will be very difficult for me to do," he says. "I don't know how the government will compensate all the farmers - where is the money going to come from?"
Experts also worry about how Africa could cope with human cases of bird flu.
Some warn that Africa could be sidelined as it battles for its share of anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu, seen as one of the best defences against the disease.
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