Lake Manyara NP
Lake Manyara is the seventh-largest lake of Tanzania by surface area, at 470-square-kilometre (180 sq mi). It is a shallow, alkaline lake in the Natron-Manyara-Balangida branch of the East African Rift in Manyara Region in Tanzania. This is a must for the one who loves wildlife at lakes.
Lake Manyara NP
Hydrology
The lake is in a closed basin with no outflow. It is fed by underground springs and by several permanent streams and rivers that drain the surrounding Ngorongoro Highlands, but the vast majority of the inflow (over 99%) comes from rainfall[7]. The lake's depth and the area it covers fluctuates significantly[7]. At its maximum, during the wet season, the lake is 40 km wide by 15 km with a maximum depth of 3.7 m[1]. In 2010, a bathymetry survey showed the lake to have an average depth 0.81 m, and a maximum depth of about 1.18 m[7]
Fish
The main fish species inhabiting the lake are catfish and tilapia. There is a small fishery, but fish only tend to be found near the inflow areas, where salt concentrations are lower. Lake Manyara is the type locality for the endangered fish Oreochromis amphimelas, a species of in the cichlid family, endemic to Tanzania, found in Lake Manyara and a number of other saline lakes with closed basins. Exploitation is prohibited in the parts of Lake Manyara within the National Park and the protected park areas provide important seed stock for the replenishment of fished populations.
Lake Manyara National Park is known for flocks of thousands flamingos that feed along the edge of the lake in the wet season. At times, there have been over an estimated 2 million individuals of various species of water birds. The following table summarizes the most numerous species, according to the Important Bird Areas factsheet: Lake Manyara.
There are differing explanations for how Lake Manyara got its name. The name Manyara may come from the Maasai word emanyara, which is the spiky, protective enclosure around a family homestead (boma). Possibly the 600 m high rift escarpment hems in the lake, like the enclosure around a Maasai boma. Another theory is that the Mbugwe tribe, who live in the Lake Manyara area, may have given the lake its name based on the Mbugwe word manyero, meaning a trough or place where animals drink water.
Tours that includes Lake Manyara NP
6-day Northern Best Big Five Safari
Lake Manyara National Park which is famous for it’s tree climbing lions and a abundance amount of beautiful birds this will be your scenary…
3-day Tarangire, Lake Manyara
This 3-day safari you will be well looked after and see some of the best that Tanzania has to offer…
6-day Tanzania Wildlife Adventure
Discover the Serengeti, Ngorongoro and Lake Manyara National Park - Tanzanias three best national parks and be one with the wildlife…
