The European population first learned about Lake Victoria in 1858. Its discoverer is the British explorer John Henning Speke, who presented a report on his journey to Africa at the Royal Geographical Society. He named the lake after the queen and suggested that the Nile flowed from it.
The local population calls the reservoir Nyanza. There have been attempts to come up with a different name for the lake that would be able to unite the ethnonyms of different peoples living on its shores, but so far they have not been successful.
Main characteristics
Lake Victoria is located in the trough of the East African Plateau. Its area is 68 thousand square meters. km, maximum depth - about 80 m, volume - 8400 cubic meters. km. Length coastline– 7 thousand km. The length of the reservoir is 320 km, and the width is 240 km.
The main source of nutrition for the reservoir is precipitation, and to a lesser extent, tributary water.
The Kagera River flows into the lake and the Victoria Nile flows out. In 1954, the Owen Falls Dam was built, turning Victoria into a reservoir. There are many islands in the waters of the lake: Ukerve, Sese, Rubondo and so on.
The reservoir is actively used by the local population for navigation and fishing. The main ports are Kisumu, Jinja, Mwanza.
Most of the banks are low and flat, heavily indented and swampy. In the southwest the line of contact between water and land is steep and high.
Almost 30 million people live in the water area. The area is covered with savannas, and in the north-west - evergreen equatorial forest. In the east, gold and diamonds are mined.
Climate Features
Lake Victoria is located in a tropical climate zone. average temperature fluctuates at 20-22 °C heat. The rainy seasons occur twice a year: from March to May and from October to December. Quite often, under the influence of hurricane winds, the reservoir is covered by severe storms.
In recent decades, there has been a downward trend in precipitation in this region. Scientists suggest that over time this could lead to a catastrophic decrease in fresh water supplies and pastures for livestock, which would threaten the lives of the local population.
African flavor
Victoria is not only interesting geographical object, but also a center of attraction for tourists from all over the world. What attracts them? First of all, the opportunity to plunge into the authentic atmosphere of Aboriginal life, as well as natural beauty and unique wildlife. The most best time for the trip – from August to September.
View of the lake from Kenya 
Streets of KisumuThe African savanna fascinates with its landscapes. The endless plains, interspersed with majestic hills and decorated with islands of greenery, amaze with their pristine beauty. The most powerful impressions of contemplating landscapes can be obtained at dawn and sunset, thanks to the play of natural colors.
There are also large trading cities, and fishing villages with huts and tattered sails of boats, as well as plantations of the best coffee and sugar cane on the mainland. The population of the coasts and islands of Victoria honors their traditions and gladly introduces them to travelers.
Among settlements You should definitely visit Kisumu - a city with colonial-era architecture, Musoma - a fishing port, Butiama - a village with an archaic way of life, in which the first president of Tanzania, Julius K. Nyere, was born. It is also worth taking a ride around the lake accompanied by a guide who will tell you mysterious legends associated with this amazing place.
Port in Uganda
Unique fish
Lake Victoria is an excellent place for fishing enthusiasts. More than 200 species of fish are found in its waters. Tilapia is of greatest commercial importance. There are several large centers on the islands that specialize in organizing fishing.
The most attractive trophies are Nile perches, whose weight can reach 200 kg, as well as lang fish. The latter are found only in Victorian waters. The uniqueness of these fish lies in their ability to breathe with both gills and lungs. Langi appeared more than 300 million years ago and were a transitional link between ordinary fish and land creatures.
Animal paradise
Traveling along the shores of Victoria is a great opportunity to observe animals in their natural environment. Moreover, thanks to the proximity of different natural areas You can see both the inhabitants of the tropical forest and the inhabitants of the savannah.
For example, the lush green Kakamega Forest in Kenya is home to various primates, lizards, hundreds of species of birds, butterflies, as well as antelope, porcupine, mongoose and so on.
Among national parks Lake Victoria is the most popular reserve on the island of Rubondo (Tanzania). It is forbidden to travel here by car, but this is even better, because on foot you can see more animals.
On an island of 458 sq. km of relict forests coexist with swamps, meadows and savannas. Therefore, the reserve is home to the most different representatives fauna. Only here is the sitatunga, a timid antelope with elongated and widely spaced hooves, found. Also in Rubondo you can see hippos, crocodiles, green monkeys, pythons, chimpanzees, elephants, mongooses, giraffes, porcupines and other exotic animals.
Bird lovers will also get a lot of pleasure from visiting the national park. It is home to royal kingfishers, paradise flycatchers, cormorants, ibises, storks, goliath herons and so on. No less attractive is the fauna of the island. About 40 species of orchids grow on its territory.
Sunset on Lake VictoriaThreats to Victoria
Outwardly, the shores and water surface of the lake seem like an earthly paradise, but they are fraught with many dangers. Under no circumstances should you swim in the pond: firstly, it is infested with crocodiles, and secondly, the water is contaminated with schistosomiasis.
The tsetse fly also lives on the islands, from the bite of which a person can become infected with sleeping sickness. Others are also present dangerous insects, carrying malaria and yellow fever.
Specific climatic conditions, which combine high humidity and heat, not every traveler can withstand. You should also remember that there are often very strong storms on the lake.
Ecological problems
The ecological situation in the lake's waters is getting worse every year. The reasons for this are deforestation, population growth, development of the fishing industry, drainage of sewage and industrial waters, and so on.
In addition, the situation is negatively affected by the artificial introduction of exotic plants and animals. For example, lilies introduced to Africa in the last century have grown in the waters of Victoria. These plants, which have incredible resilience, consume large amounts of oxygen, which has a negative impact on fish numbers. They also block tributaries, complicating navigation.
Lake Victoria is a unique African body of water, impressive not only for its size, but also for its pristine beauty and diversity natural resources. Here you can admire stunning scenery, watch animals, go fishing and photography, and get in touch with Aboriginal traditions. The main thing is to plan your trip carefully and take care of your safety.
Lake Victoria gives rise to the famous Nile River, this is the most... big lake in Africa and the second largest freshwater lake in the world after Lake Superior. The total area of Victoria is 70,000 square meters. km, which is comparable in size to the whole of Ireland.
The lake was named after Queen Victoria by the English traveler and explorer of Africa John Henning Speke, who first discovered it in 1858. The area of the lake is 68 thousand square meters. km, length - 320 km, maximum width - 275 km, and maximum depth of 80 m, allows Victoria to be considered one of the deepest lakes in the world. After the construction of the Owen Falls Dam on the Victoria Nile River in 1954, the lake was turned into a reservoir, as a result of which the water level increased by 3 m.
The Kenyan part of the lake (Kisumu) occupies 3785 square meters. km and at the same time is a water border with Tanzania and Uganda, while visiting these neighboring countries possible only when crossing the earth's border.
This place is famous for its pristine beauty, as well as unique flora and fauna. Not far from its territory there are famous nature reserves and National parks, as well as the very attractive tourist hinterlands of Africa.
Many islands scattered around the lake have become a haven for numerous birds. The high-water Kagera River flows into the lake, and the Victoria Nile River flows out. Victoria fills the shallow depression between the eastern and western sides of the Great African Gap valley, receiving enormous amounts of rainwater - more than all its tributaries.
Almost 30 million Aboriginal people live in the vicinity of the lake. On the southern and western shores live the Wahaya people, who knew how to grow coffee long before the arrival of Europeans.
The waters of the lake are home to a huge number of crocodiles. Victoria is home to the fossil lang fish, which lived here 300 million years ago. This rare fish is a transitional link in evolution - between ordinary fish and land animals.
The Tanzanian part of the lake is the most visited by tourists, compared to its Kenyan and Ugandan parts. The lake is a rather wild and unsafe place, where severe storms can sink ferries and numerous fishing boats. The main cities of this region that should be highlighted are Bukoba, Muzoma and Mwanza, which are essentially small river ports with a calm atmosphere.
Here you should not expect luxury five-star accommodation, but rather be prepared for minimalist and spartan living conditions. However, for an avid traveler this is not a hindrance at all, because in such remote places you can discover a lot of interesting things. On the territory of the lake, it is recommended to visit the island of Ruboondo, whose territory is 240 square meters. km is a national park, and the most rarely visited in all of Arfica.
Rubondo is a paradise for over four hundred different species of birds. Here you can see eagles, herons, storks, ibises, kingfishers, and cormorants. The main live attraction is the timid Sitatunga antelope.
The surrounding area of the lake is also an ideal place for bird safaris. Guests are attracted here by the existing local residents a legend about a mysterious animal that they had spotted more than once in Lake Victoria. A large freshwater creature, which they call a lukwata, was chasing the fishermen's boats, trying to capsize them. They say that one European, crossing the lake on a boat, even managed to see the huge head of this creature.
Over the past 25 years, Lake Victoria cichlids have become the focus of attention among biologists studying evolution. It turned out that it was impossible to explain the origin of more than 500 species using Darwin's theory of evolution, who believed that it took millions of years to create a species. The little fish turned out to be a real puzzle for scientists.
Of all the lakes that formed along the rift, the so-called Great Freshwater Lakes of East Africa - Tanganyika, Malawi and Victoria - provide an illustration of the process of animal evolution in action. The waters of these lakes, separated from other bodies of water by large expanses of parched, barren land, are home to several hundred species of fish that are found nowhere else in the world. Lake Victoria is the shallowest and youngest of the three lakes, being approximately 750,000 years old. It changed, at times overflowing and flooding neighboring reservoirs, replenishing them with new species of fish, and then dried up, which again led to isolation.
Continent Africa is a territory that is associated with the world's largest desert. This is the Sahara Desert. The climate here is such that it is almost impossible to imagine sailing on ferries in the very heart of Africa. But there is a lake - Lake Victoria, which accomplishes all this. That is, the continent of Lake Victoria is Africa. Lake Victoria is the third largest lake in the world and the largest on the continent of Africa.
The location of Lake Victoria is the northern part of the East African Plateau. Lake Victoria has an area of 68,800 km2. The maximum depth of the lake is 80 m. It has a very rugged coastline. Currently, Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda are the states that own the lake. The length of Lake Victoria is 400 km.
The lake was named after the Queen of England - Victoria. John Henning Speke is the man who discovered it.
The climate of the lake is considered equatorial. The highest temperature here reaches 35 °C. And as is typical for Africa, summer is the cold season. So, the coldest month in this area is July. The warmest days are observed from October to the end of February. Precipitation is uneven. In some places it’s up to 1000 mm per year, and in others it’s 2000 mm. Spring is a time of storms. It also rains at this time.
Animal world Lake Victoria is very diverse. For example, the fish that are found here belong to the cichlid family. The most common ones are Balti and Nile perches. The shores of Lake Victoria are home to various species of birds. Some of them are flamingos.
Since the lake is surrounded by mountainous terrain, there are accordingly a lot of plants. The basis of all vegetation is made up of deciduous forests and savannas. Tall grasses and rare trees grow here. The crowns of such trees are shaped like an umbrella. Sometimes there are swamps. Papyrus grows in the swamps. It is worth noting that papyrus grows not only in the coastal part, but also in the water of Lake Victoria itself.
There is a plant here that poses a great threat to other representatives of the lake. Water hyacinth is a plant that lives on the surface of water and reproduces at a very high speed. The danger is that the water is covered with a kind of carpet and the rays of the sun do not enter the water. As a result, many living organisms in Lake Victoria die.
Bantu are the inhabitants of Lake Victoria. The population here is growing at a rapid rate. Other inhabitants include the Nilotes tribe. The Sese Islands are home to the Basese tribe. The Basese differ from all the tribes of the lake in their culture and language. Life here depends on fishing and farming.
Lake Victoria is one of the seven Great African Lakes located in rift valley East African Rift. The area of the reservoir is 68.8 thousand square meters. km. This is the second largest freshwater lake in the world. In first place is Lake Superior in North America with an area of 82.1 thousand square meters. km. But among the tropical lakes of the planet, the African reservoir takes first place. In Africa it is also considered the largest. But by volume fresh water(2750 cubic km) only reaches 9th place.
The length of the lake is 337 km. The width is 250 km. The maximum depth is 83 meters, and the average depth is 40 meters. The reservoir is located at an altitude of 1133 meters above sea level. The length of the coastline is 4828 km. It is divided between three countries: Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. All figures are taken from the US Gazetteer.
Lake Victoria
The coastal strip around the lake is considered one of the most densely populated on the planet. More than 30 million people live here. The equator passes through the northern part of the lake. The city of Entebbe is located right on it. The capital of Uganda, Kampala, is located 40 km southeast. It is home to 1.2 million people. In the south of the reservoir is the city of Mwanza with a population of 1.2 million people. It belongs to Tanzania. On west coast is the city of Bukoba with a population of 100 thousand people. And in Winam Bay in the northeast is the Kenyan city of Kisumu. It has 345 thousand inhabitants.
Concerning geological history, then Lake Victoria is considered relatively young. Its age is estimated at 400 thousand years. The reservoir periodically dried up and was filled with water again. According to experts, there were 3 such cycles. The last time the lake dried up was 17,300 years ago. Refilled with water 14,700 years ago. This is associated with ice ages, during which the amount of precipitation sharply decreased. But it is the rains that feed the lake 80% with water, and only 20% comes from tributaries.
Lake Victoria on the map
There are a lot of tributaries feeding the reservoir. The main one is considered Kagera River. Its length is 420 km. It flows into a vast reservoir from the east, but its main attraction is that the river is considered the source of the great African river Nile. Actually, Kagera has its own tributary, Rukarara. It is from its source that the waterway is calculated, ending in the waters of the Mediterranean Sea.
In the north, the Victoria Nile River flows from Victoria, which further downstream is renamed the White Nile, and then, after the confluence of the Blue Nile, a single water stream is formed, bearing the name Nile. The second major river flowing from the lake is called Katonga. It rushes its waters to the west and after 220 km flows into Lake George in Uganda, which is connected by the Kazinga Canal to Lake Edward.
The Nzoya River also flows into the reservoir. Its length is 257 km. It is an important waterway in Western Kenya. There are many waterfalls on it, which means great energy potential. Lake Victoria itself contributes to the production of electricity. energy through a dam near the city of Jinja in Uganda. This is where the Victoria Nile River flows out of the lake. But the water level in the reservoir is very capricious and unpredictable, so the hydroelectric power station does not operate at full efficiency. In addition, there is an opinion that the hydroelectric station takes more water than was provided for in the agreement between the states.
These are the ships that sail around Victoria
Water transport on a huge reservoir it is well developed. Since the early years of the 20th century, Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya have been connected by ferries. In 1963, the fastest ferry built in Kenya was launched. In 1966, a train ferry was created between Kenya and Tanzania.
But the achievements of civilization sometimes bring grief to people. On May 21, 1996, the ferry Bukoba sank in the lake. It carried passengers between the Tanzanian cities of Bukoba and Mwanza. The ship was designed for 430 passengers and 850 tons of cargo. The tragedy occurred 56 km from Mwanza. The ferry sank to the bottom at a depth of 25 meters, killing 987 people. The main cause of the disaster was overload vehicle. This tragedy is considered one of the largest in Africa.
Lake Victoria was discovered in 1858. Humanity owes this to the British officer John Hennig Speke (1827-1864). He reached the southern coast while exploring Central Africa. Seeing a huge expanse of water in front of him, the Englishman named it in honor of Queen Victoria. The officer also stated that he had finally found the source of the Nile, as he believed that the great river flows from this huge reservoir. But this statement caused disagreement among his partner Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890). All this gave rise to long discussions.
These days, every schoolchild knows that John Speke was right. The Nile actually flows from Victoria, and the huge reservoir also provides food and work to the huge number of people who live on its banks. The picture is darkened only by the merciless lake pollution. Industrial enterprises discharge untreated wastewater into it. The lake bed serves as a burial place for chemical fertilizers and household waste. All this negatively affects the ecosystem. The situation is aggravated by the decrease in water level in the reservoir. So the prospects are not bright, and life on the shores of Victoria is hard and difficult.
Yuri Syromyatnikov
Ukerewe, Nyasa, Victoria-Nyasa, Victoria... The lake was discovered in 1858 by the English traveler and explorer of Africa John Henning Speke and named after the Queen of Great Britain.Located in East Africa, in Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda. Located at an altitude of 1134 m. Area 68 thousand km2 (2nd largest - after Lake Superior - of the fresh lakes of the world). The greatest length is 320 km, width 275 km. The average depth is 40 m (the greatest is 80 m).
Northern, eastern and southern shores low-lying, sandy, with many bays. The western bank is more elevated and leveled. The total length of the coastline is over 7 thousand km. The largest bays are Kavirondo and Spica. 
The lake is surrounded by savannas; in the northwest, humid equatorial forest approaches the shores. It is fed mainly by precipitation and the waters of numerous rivers, among which the most abundant is the river. Kagera is the source of the Nile. The average annual income is 114 km3 (16 km3 from rivers, 98 km3 from precipitation); annual evaporation from the surface is 93 km3. The flow (21 km3) is carried by the Victoria Nile River and is regulated by the Owen Falls hydroelectric dam 2.5 km below the river's exit from the lake.
The strongest storm activity caused by hurricane winds during tropical thunderstorms over a huge (68,635 km2) open water space at a relatively shallow depth ensures good mixing of layers and saturation of water with oxygen.
A huge number of bays, bays and islands create a rich variety of all kinds of underwater landscapes - from sandy and muddy soils overgrown with reeds and aquatic vegetation, to rocks and scree. Water clarity in open places reaches 8 meters (less near the banks); The pH varies from 7.1 to 9.0.
Mysteries of Lake Victoria
Over the past 25 years, Lake Victoria cichlids have become the focus of attention among biologists studying evolution. It turned out that it was impossible to explain the origin of more than 500 species using Darwin's theory of evolution, who believed that it took millions of years to create a species. The little fish turned out to be a real puzzle for scientists. Of all the lakes that formed along the rift, the so-called Great Freshwater Lakes of East Africa - Tanganyika, Malawi and Victoria - provide an illustration of the process of animal evolution in action.
The waters of these lakes, separated from other bodies of water by large expanses of parched, barren land, are home to several hundred species of fish that are found nowhere else in the world. Lake Victoria is the shallowest and youngest of the three lakes, being approximately 750,000 years old. It changed, at times overflowing and flooding neighboring reservoirs, replenishing them with new species of fish, and then dried up, which again led to isolation. The main phenomenon of Lake Victoria - the fantastically rapid formation of species and subspecies - has not yet found an acceptable explanation. In the same places, after a few years, completely different species and subspecies are caught, it seems that they literally appear out of nowhere.
The number of non-scientifically described variations under the letters SP increases every year. In 1996, after analyzing sediments at the bottom of the lake, scientists came to an important conclusion? 12,400 years ago, the lake completely dried up, which means that 500 species must have evolved at an unprecedented rate (all this happened during human existence!). The validity of this theory was confirmed by the example of Lake Nabugabo, separated 4000 years from Victoria by a sand spit.
Five new species were found at Nabugabo, differing from the original Victorian ones only in the color of the males. The ability to change in the next generation can even be observed in an aquarium! In 1996, it was discovered that some species had changed their habitat, others began to change their color. New, previously unknown species, presumably hybrids, also appeared.
Victoria also has its own Nessie. Local residents claim that a mysterious huge animal lives in the lake. The creature, which they call lukvata, often chases pies and tries to knock them over. Back in 1902, Sir Henry Johnston published information about an unusual animal living in Lake Victoria in a book about Uganda: “Among the local residents there is a legend that the lukwata dragon lives in the waters of the lake...
One European managed to see this creature. Sir Clement Hill was crossing the lake in 1900 on a small steam boat and saw a large square head that looked like a fish." Moreover, the unusual creature behaved very aggressively, trying to grab a native sitting on the bow of the ship. The same creature was observed for many years, except local residents, ex-commissioner of the province Grant, American athlete Bronson and others. Some took it for a fish, others for a giant python. They only agreed that it was not a crocodile. When a statement from a hunter named Johnston appeared in the press, he simply did not Judge for yourself: according to him, the animal, about 4.5 meters long, had a head the size of a lion, but spotted, like a leopard.
Two long white fangs protruded from the upper jaw. The monster was covered with scales like an armadillo, had a broad spotted back, a thick and long tail and left footprints the same size as a hippopotamus, but with claw marks like those of a reptile. Summarizing many observations, the famous Belgian zoologist Bernard Euvelmans, author of the book “Secrets of Mysterious Animals,” concludes that this mysterious animal may well be a dinosaur: “There is a view of dinosaurs as giants,” he writes.
This makes it difficult for experts to admit that such a giant survived undetected. But among them there were also medium-sized animals, and even dwarfs, sort of pocket dinosaurs the size of a pigeon. What’s so sensational about the fact that small forms of dinosaurs have been preserved among ten-meter-long man-eating crocodiles?”
Lake Victoria problems
Before the introduction of Nile perch (Lates niloticus/Lates sp.), the lake was home to 500 species of cichlids or more. On this moment 2/3 of species are extinct or their populations are in critical condition. Of the 109 species discovered at the beginning of the lake’s research, 90% have become extinct. But the multiplied perches grow to fantastic sizes (they say that they caught 1.5-meter specimens). Nile perch is an expensive fish. It is purchased willingly and in large quantities for European residents. Every day it reaches the tables of 2 million Europeans. Yes, specifically Europeans, because everything that is caught is exported. Everything is under strict or cruel control. The locals don’t see the fish, or rather, they do, because they catch it and process it in numerous factories along the shores of the lake.
With the ill-conceived introduction of Nile perch (Lates niloticus) into Lake Victoria as a fishing target, a serious threat looms over the entire unique endemic cichlid fauna. Breeding and preserving these rare creatures in an aquarium will help preserve cichlids for civilization. In the USA and Europe, conservation programs for Lake Victoria cichlids have been existing and developing for a number of years.
Water level
An unprecedented drought in East Africa has caused the water level in Lake Victoria to drop to its lowest point in 80 years. Compared to the early 1990s, the water level has dropped by almost a meter. Local fishermen are forced to leave their homes, ferry services have ceased, and hydroelectric power stations are almost inactive due to the lack of water volume sufficient to ensure normal operation of the turbines. According to the Minister of Water Resources, Maria Mutagamba, reducing the discharge from the Owen Falls reservoir from 1010 tons of water per day to 340 tons will make it possible to raise the water level in the rivers that feed Lake Victoria, and therefore in it itself, which will allow the resumption of power plants.Kenyan experts name two main reasons for this phenomenon. Firstly, there are general climate changes that have led to a decrease in precipitation throughout the region. The human factor also has the most negative impact. Last February, the UN's chief hydrologist, Daniel Cool, issued a report accusing Uganda of theft. It turns out that the Ugandans were secretly diverting water from the lake to their power plants to ensure a stable supply of electricity.
However, it is clear that the reason for the drop in Victoria's water level is not so much the entrepreneurial spirit of the Ugandans, but the almost complete lack of rain in Kenya, Ethiopia, Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti. According to the UN International Food Programme, due to the drought, which has left these countries without water and reduced pastures to a minimum, more than 11 million people are at risk of starvation.
Lake Victoria pollution
The world's second largest natural freshwater reservoir, Lake Victoria, is predicted to die within 50 years from clogging sediment and general pollution. environment in the region. The main culprit of the catastrophic situation is employees International Center agricultural and forest lands(ICRAF) and the Ministry of Agriculture of Kenya name the chemical fertilizers used on nearby farms. The second source of lake pollution is wastewater from cities in the region. Intensive research work has been ongoing for 18 months. Scientists are trying to determine as accurately as possible chemical composition sedimentary layers at the bottom of the lake, their correspondence to the components of the soils surrounding Victoria, the possibility of poisoning the reservoir with fertilizers and sewage.
The soft purple flowers of eichornia, or water hyacinth, are incredibly beautiful, as are the smooth, oval leaves that shine in the sun. Water hyacinth was once brought from Asia to Africa by European colonialists, who used it to decorate ponds in the gardens of their estates. However, those who live on the shores of Lake Victoria have no time for beauty. Eichornia crassipes, as this malicious aquatic weed is called in Latin, is considered a terrible scourge here. Eichornia was first spotted in Africa's Lake Victoria in the early eighties.
Today this weed has taken over the entire lake, killing fish, blocking harbors and depriving entire villages of their livelihood. Uganda, located in the north of Lake Victoria, is especially affected by Eichornia, where the coastal waters are covered by this weed by 80%. After neither voracious weevils nor specially designed harvesting machines could cope with the pale purple scourge, the Ugandan government relied on poisons. Despite protests from the National Environmental Protection Agency, authorities have already begun using the substance 2,4 D, known as one of the main components of the defoliant Orange used by the Americans during the Vietnam War.
Recently, even ecologists observing the spread of water hyacinth are beginning to understand that the use of merciless herbicides is the lesser of two evils. Eichornia also affects trade relations between the three countries located on the shores of Lake Victoria - Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania. Cargo ships and the ferries find themselves practically unable to break through the dense carpet covering the water. Uganda experiences periodic power outages as Eichornia clogs the filters and pipes of the Owen Falls hydroelectric power station.
The ichthyofauna of the lake is a unique natural phenomenon, which, unfortunately, is under threat of extinction. So far, only a few private collections make it possible to get acquainted with the entire diversity of fish of this group.
The largest of them not only in Russia, but probably in the world is the collection of Anatoly Zhukovin, who for several years painstakingly collected rarities through various importing companies.
Due to their rarity and high cost, Victorian fish have not yet become widespread among nature lovers. There is a possibility that this will never happen. While you are reading these lines, another species of cichlid from Lake Victoria has disappeared from the face of the earth...
