A team of experts is working on the creation of a unique and highly detailed map of east Africa outlining the region's bio-diversity and land use.

Working alongside scientists in the US, members of the African Conservation Centre will develop the map which aims to keep track of changing migration patterns.

As part of the project, the ranges of 2,700 species of birds, mammals, amphibians and reptiles across Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda and Burundi are being recorded.

It is hoped that by tracking the patterns of these species, areas with favourable conditions will be identified and wildlife can encouraged to move to these regions as the climate changes.

University of California San Diego assistant professor Walter Jetz said: "Within those boundaries, we are likely to encounter those species.

"With the distribution map, we can determine the species' climatic niche."

He added: "You need some refinement if you want to be able to make predictions, so we are taking global maps and refining them to the scale of actual conservation decision making: to a ten or 20km resolution."

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