Lake Mai-Ndombe
Encyclopedia
Lake Mai-Ndombe is a large freshwater lake in Bandundu Province
in western Democratic Republic of Congo, at 2°S 18.33°E. It drains to the south through the Fimi River
into the Kwah and Congo River
s. Known until 1972 as Lake Leopold (after king Leopold II of Belgium
); Mai-Ndombe means “black water” in Lingala
. The lake is of irregular shape and ranges in depth from only 5 meters (mean) to 10 meters (maximum). Covering approximately 890 square miles (2,300 square km), it is known to double or triple in size during the rainy season. Its waters are oxygenated throughout their depth and the pH ranges from 4.2 to 5.5. Low, forested shores surround it with dense, humid equatorial rainforest prevailing to the north and a mosaic of forest and savanna
to the south.
On 28 November 2009, two logging barges sank causing the loss of 73 lives. The boat was not authorised to carry passengers, but was believed to have some 270 people on board at the time.
, have been poorly documented. Since initial surveys from 1909-1916 by George Albert Boulenger
, the lake has been a site for the continual discovery of new species. In 1984 a new species of cichlid
, Nanochromis transvestitus, named for the fact that it exhibits reverse sexual dichromatism, was discovered in the lake. In 2006 a new species of cichlid
, Nanochromis wickleri, was discovered, and in 2008, yet another new species, Chrysichthys praecox, was documented.
Bandundu Province
Bandundu is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It borders the provinces of Kinshasa and Bas-Congo to the west, Équateur to the north, and Kasai-Occidental to the east. The provincial capital is also called Bandundu .In 1966, Bandundu was formed by merging the three...
in western Democratic Republic of Congo, at 2°S 18.33°E. It drains to the south through the Fimi River
Fimi River
The Fimi River is a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It flows from Lake Mai-Ndombe to the Kasai River, which in turn empties into the Congo. One of the Fimi's tributaries is the Lukenie River, which is navigable by barges as far as Kole....
into the Kwah and Congo River
Congo River
The Congo River is a river in Africa, and is the deepest river in the world, with measured depths in excess of . It is the second largest river in the world by volume of water discharged, though it has only one-fifth the volume of the world's largest river, the Amazon...
s. Known until 1972 as Lake Leopold (after king Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II of Belgium
Leopold II was the second king of the Belgians. Born in Brussels the second son of Leopold I and Louise-Marie of Orléans, he succeeded his father to the throne on 17 December 1865 and remained king until his death.Leopold is chiefly remembered as the founder and sole owner of the Congo Free...
); Mai-Ndombe means “black water” in Lingala
Lingala language
Lingala, or Ngala, is a Bantu language spoken throughout the northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and a large part of the Republic of the Congo , as well as to some degree in Angola and the Central African Republic. It has over 10 million speakers...
. The lake is of irregular shape and ranges in depth from only 5 meters (mean) to 10 meters (maximum). Covering approximately 890 square miles (2,300 square km), it is known to double or triple in size during the rainy season. Its waters are oxygenated throughout their depth and the pH ranges from 4.2 to 5.5. Low, forested shores surround it with dense, humid equatorial rainforest prevailing to the north and a mosaic of forest and savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
to the south.
On 28 November 2009, two logging barges sank causing the loss of 73 lives. The boat was not authorised to carry passengers, but was believed to have some 270 people on board at the time.
Biodiversity
The fish of Lake Mai-Ndombe, although presumed to be similar to those of Lake TumbaLake Tumba
Lake Tumba is a shallow lake in northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located at around and has an area of 500.00 km² and is from 2 to 6 m deep. It is the part of the Congo River basin. Lake Tumba hosts 114 species of fish...
, have been poorly documented. Since initial surveys from 1909-1916 by George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger
George Albert Boulenger FRS was a Belgian-British zoologist who identified over 2000 new animal species, chiefly fish, reptiles and amphibians.-Life:...
, the lake has been a site for the continual discovery of new species. In 1984 a new species of cichlid
Cichlid
Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...
, Nanochromis transvestitus, named for the fact that it exhibits reverse sexual dichromatism, was discovered in the lake. In 2006 a new species of cichlid
Cichlid
Cichlids are fishes from the family Cichlidae in the order Perciformes. Cichlids are members of a group known as the Labroidei along with the wrasses , damselfish , and surfperches . This family is both large and diverse. At least 1,300 species have been scientifically described, making it one of...
, Nanochromis wickleri, was discovered, and in 2008, yet another new species, Chrysichthys praecox, was documented.