Families living along Kenya's Lake Baringo say rising waters are driving crocodiles and hippos closer to their homes, turning everyday trips for water and food into potentially deadly encounters.

On Monday fishermen were observed travelling by boat across the lake with crocodiles lurking among reeds near the shoreline and homes standing dangerously close to the water's edge.

For Mary Milka Tiren, the threat has already brought tragedy twice. Her son was attacked by a crocodile while fetching water, while her husband was killed by a hippopotamus.

"At night, hippos come out of the water and wander around here. After the water rose more, we were pushed back and came here. We were going to fetch water. When fetching water, my son was attacked by a crocodile. My husband was killed by a hippo."

Her husband's death also left Tiren raising their children alone and carrying the family's financial burden.

Joseph Koki narrowly survived another hippo attack after going to the lake in search of food. Now walking on crutches, he showed the scars left behind.

"The most dangerous animal is the hippo; if we try to move further, animals still come to our homes."

But for communities whose livelihoods depend on the lake, simply packing up and moving away is not an easy option.

Tiren said fishing families have little choice but to keep living and working alongside the animals.

"There is no day humans and these animals will live together. We are pleading with God or the government to help us. We cannot live with these animals, but if we kill an animal, the authorities come to arrest us. We don't have land." 

Lake Baringo's rising waters are swallowing homes, farms and businesses across Kenya's Baringo County, while pushing crocodiles and hippopotamuses into increasingly close contact with nearby communities.