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Lake Manyara

Lake Manyara

 

Lake Manyara National Park is one of the smallest but most ecologically diverse game reserves in Tanzania.  Entering the park the tall trees surround the ground forest. In many ways it resembles a tropical rainforest - with its verdant foliage and variety of bird life - the difference being these trees are supported by a water supply from underneath rather than by abundant rainfall.


Following the formation of the Rift Valley, streams cascaded down the rocky walls and, because there was no outlet, a lake was formed. It was at its largest about a quarter of a million years ago. The average area of the lake is around 390 km2 varying from year to year.
The lake harbors abundant aquatic life ranging from pink flamingoes to elegant pelicans. The hippos are no doubt commandingly noticeable in the inlets of various rivers & rivulets feeding this lake with fresh water.


At the far southern end of the park, are some Hot water springs owing to the vulcanicity which the whole region went through, about a million years ago. Perfectly popular are the tree-climbing lions of this park – they are known to take this position especially during the dry season on the low-lying branches of the dominant umbrella acacias.

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