Oreochromis hunteri
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.
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.
