Lake Chala Tilapia
CR

Lake Chala Tilapia

Oreochromis hunteri

Declining

Photo: Wikimedia Commons (CC) via https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Chala_tilapia

Overview

The Lake Chala tilapia is a species of cichlid fish that is endemic to Lake Chala, a small crater lake on the border of Kenya and Rombo District of Kilimanjaro Region in Tanzania. It mostly lives in relatively deep water, at depths between 20–45 m (66–148 ft). It is considered critically endangered by the IUCN, with the two primary threats being deterioration of its habitat due to siltation, and other non-native tilapia species that have been introduced to Lake Chala.

Before these introductions, the Lake Chala tilapia was the only fish in Lake Chala. It is very closely related to the similar Jipe tilapia, another highly threatened species from the same general region of Kenya and Tanzania. The Lake Chala tilapia can reach a standard length of up to 30 cm (12 in).

Oreochromis hunteri faces severe population decline primarily due to hybridization with introduced tilapia species, particularly O. niloticus, which has contaminated the genetic integrity of wild populations. Water abstraction for agricultural and domestic use has significantly reduced water levels in its native lake systems, while pollution from agricultural runoff and human settlements has degraded water quality. Overfishing pressure has further reduced already fragmented populations across its limited range in Kenya's Rift Valley lakes.

Threat summary

Habitat

Oreochromis hunteri is endemic to alkaline lakes in Kenya's Rift Valley system, particularly Lake Baringo and associated smaller water bodies. The species inhabits shallow, warm waters with rocky substrates and vegetated areas where it feeds on algae and small invertebrates.

Wetlands (inland) - Permanent freshwater lakes· major

Conservation measures underway

Site/area protectionSpecies recovery

Other threatened species in CICHLIDAE

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Apistogramma cinilabra

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Myaka MyakaCR

Myaka Myaka

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Panicum pinifolium

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Aidia abeidii

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Black-fronted Spurfowl

Pternistis atrifrons

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Zanthoxylum mildbraedii

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Frequently asked questions

Why is Lake Chala Tilapia classified as Critically Endangered?
Lake Chala Tilapia is classified as Critically Endangered — facing an extremely high risk of extinction in the wild — because population sizes are very small, declining sharply, or restricted to a tiny range. Oreochromis hunteri faces severe population decline primarily due to hybridization with introduced tilapia species, particularly O. niloticus, which has contaminated the genetic integrity of wild populations. Water abstraction for agricultural and domestic use has significantly reduced water levels in its native lake systems, while pollution from agricultural runoff and human settlements has degraded water quality. Overfishing pressure has further reduced already fragmented populations across its limited range in Kenya's Rift Valley lakes.
Where does Lake Chala Tilapia live?
Lake Chala Tilapia occurs in Kenya, and Tanzania. Country-level distribution data is sourced from the IUCN Red List and cross-referenced with GBIF occurrences.
What are the main threats to Lake Chala Tilapia?
The main threats to Lake Chala Tilapia are 11.2, 8.3, ai-1, and ai-2. The full IUCN-classified threat record for this species is detailed on the species page.

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