56 / 110
56
Despite its very rich biodiversity, the LVB’s natural
habitats are threatened by a rapidly increasing human
population. The Basin’s biodiversity consists of fish,
birds and higher vertebrates such as amphibians,
reptiles and mammals, as well as an abundance of
plant species. These include 31 amphibian, 28 reptilian
and 44 mammalian species recorded at various sites
in the Basin. The inshore waters, satellite water bodies
and fringe wetlands support many species of reptiles,
including the Nile crocodile (
Crocodylus niloticus
), and
snakes such as African rock pythons (
Python sebae
),
mambas and cobras (Chisara et al. 2001). The most
common terrestrial vegetation comprises of dry forest
and woodland, primarily in the southern parts of the
Basin in Tanzania; deciduous bush thickets in Uganda;
and semi-evergreen rainforest and scrub forest in the
eastern parts of the Basin in Kenya. Several species in
the Basin are threatened, particularly those in fragile
habitats such as wetlands.
In the 1960s, Lake Victoria supported over 400 species
of endemic cichlid fish (Seehausen 1996), but these
have progressively disappeared. The loss in fish species
is due to habitat degradation, land-use changes, the
introduction of exotic species such as the Nile perch
and over-fishing. In 1998, about 100 native fish species
endemic to the Lake were entered on to the IUCN Red
List of Threatened Species (UN Habitat 2008).
The abundance of wildlife in the LVB, especially in the
southern regions, led to the establishment of several
national parks and game reserves as part of efforts
towards conservation. These include Rumanyika,
Biharamulo, Burigi, Maswa and Saanane Game Reserves
in Tanzania, and Kagera, Rubondo and Serengeti
National Parks, also in Tanzania. Maasai Mara is the
most prominent wildlife conservation area in the
Kenyan part of the LVB, while in Burundi protected
areas include Kibira, Ruvubu and Rusizi National Parks.
Kibira National Park faces the threat of forest clearance
for tea plantations and gold mining. Rwanda’s Ibanda
Game Reserve and Akagera National Park are the
country’s major conservation areas (Lake Victoria Basin
Commission 2007).
Lake Victoria supports one of the world’s most
productive inland fishing industries, with a total catch
of around 800,000 metric tonnes per year, of which
66.6 per cent is from the Tanzanian part of Lake, 18.6 per
cent from Uganda and 14.8 per cent from Kenya (LVFO
2011). Commercial species include the Nile perch
(
Lates niloticus
), Dagaa/Omena/Mukene (
Rastreneobola
argentae
), tilapia and
Haplochromines
spp (fulu/furu/
nkejje). The value of the catch at source is estimated at
more than USD 500 million, with an export value of
USD 260million. The fishery sector contributes significantly
to the GDP of the countries that share the Lake: 2 per
cent for Kenya, 2.8 per cent for Tanzania and 3 per cent
for Uganda (World Bank 2012). Lake Victoria is also
very important to the wider economies of the EAC. It
provides high protein food, employment, income, and
water for domestic and industrial use.
Habitats and biodiversity
Invasive
Partheniumhysterophorus