 |
|
|
 Animals living in the areas around the lakes range from savanna natives like the wildebeest, to water-lovers like the chubby hippo. The fish-life inside the lake shores, is just as diverse, from 100 pound Nile perch to one inch long cichlids. The Cichlid family of fish offer scientists and hobbyists alike a fascinating study in evolution, since they are believed to be the most rapidly evolving species on the planet!
|
 | |
Cichlids (Haplochromine cichlids):
 Found throughout the Great Lakes region, this fish is particularly evident in Lake Victoria where more than 300 species exist. A small "mouth breeding" fish, cichlids range from drab mud-eaters to colorful plant eaters. They are known as mouth breeders because the females hold fertilized eggs in their mouths until they hatch. In recent years, cichlid numbers have fallen by as much as 65 percent , the result of widespread lake pollution and the introduction of other fish species. Several on-going studies suggest that cichlids are one of the fastest evolving family of animals on the planet. Over 500 species are thought to have evolved in Lake Victoria since it temporarily dried up some 12,000 to 15,000 years ago. Recent studies suggest that even greater numbers have developed in Lake Malawi over the last two million years.
|
Nile Perch (Lates niloticus):
 A major food export in the Lake Victoria region, the Nile perch is thought to have been introduced 50 years ago by British colonists who found the region's native fish too small and bony to eat. The Nile perch is a large freshwater fish that can grow up to 440 lbs. and 6 ft. in length. Also known as capitaine, mputa or sangara, it is a predator, and lives and feeds on a variety of fish and aquatic lifeforms. In the mid 1990s, Lake Victoria Nile perch fisheries generated over $140 million per year for Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
|
Hippopotamus (Hippopotamus amphibius):
 With a name that means "river horse," not surprisingly, these huge mammals spend most of their time in the water. In the evenings, they emerge from the cooling waters of lakes and rivers to feed. Despite its hefty weight (3.3 - 5 tons), the hippopotamus is a steadfast vegetarian that dines mostly on riverbank or shoreline grasses. Hippopotamuses can be very aggressive when threatened, and are reported to be able to run as fast as 18 miles per hour. They are reportedly responsible for some of the largest numbers of animal-related human fatalities.
 Hear the animal.
|
Crocodile (Common African variety: Crocodilus niloticus):
 What's the difference between crocodiles and their alligator cousins? Crocodiles have narrower snouts and teeth that are visible even when their jaw is closed. They are also reputed to be livelier than alligators and more likely to attack humans. Crocodile feed on fish, small mammals and invertebrates. Since these cold-blooded reptiles rely upon their environment to regulate body temperature, many Great Lakes crocodiles spend more time in the water than on land since water temperatures are more consistently warm in shallow waters. Threatened by water pollution, disappearing habitat and overhunting, crocodiles are becoming an endangered species.
Hear the animal.
|
Flamingo (Phoeniconaias minor):
 An Flamingos can be found in flocks of hundreds of thousands around several of the Rift Valley lakes. Heavy metal deposits and DDT run-off from industry and agriculture, however, have killed off vast numbers of flamingos in Lakes Nakuru and Manyara. Tanzania's Lake Natron is one of the last unpolluted flamingo havens. These pink birds have life spans of up to 50 years. They are good swimmers, but spend much of their time feeding on blue-green algae and small mollusks in shallow waters.
|
|
|
