A new study published on Monday revealed that three quarters of freshwater species living in East Africa’s Lake Victoria basin face the threat of extinction
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assessed that 76 percent of these creatures, including freshwater species like fish, mollusks, dragonflies, crabs and aquatic plants living in Victoria Lake and its surrounding, area are endangered.
The study noted that industry and agriculture have polluted the lake, and blamed over-fishing as well, the German News Agency reported.
Will Darwall, a co-author in the study, and head of the IUCN’s freshwater biodiversity unit said that the effects on communities that depend on the lake for their livelihoods could be disastrous.
According to the World Bank’s estimates, over 40 million people in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda directly or indirectly rely on the lake.
