Description

The singidia tilapia (Oreochromis esculentus) is a critically endangered species of cichlid endemic to the Lake Victoria basin, including some of its satellite lakes such as Kyoga. It has also been introduced to the Pangani basin. This species reaches a length of 50 centimetres (20 in) SL. This fish is highly valued by local fishermen, who know it as ngege. Due to the introduced predatory Nile perch (Lates niloticus) and the highly competitive Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), it has become very rare, with the main population in Lake Victoria itself having declined by more than 80% in the last 20 years.

In addition to the threat from the introduced species, the remaining populations are also under heavy fishing pressure, leading to the evaluation of this species as critically endangered.

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