Lake Prespa’s Decline Threatens Wildlife Survival
Lake Prespa, one of Europe’s ancient lakes, faces a dire crisis as its water levels plummet, endangering the diverse wildlife that calls it home.
Historic Low Water Levels
Water levels at Lake Prespa, inhabited by over 2,000 species of fish, birds, mammals, and plants, have reached historic lows, causing significant problems for local fisherman Vancho Vasilevski. Vasilevski, navigating the lake for decades, has seen the water recede by 36 centimeters in the past few months, with further drops anticipated due to a lack of precipitation and river inflow. This situation is rapidly turning into a natural disaster.
Decades of Decline
The decline in Lake Prespa’s water levels is not a recent phenomenon. This ancient lake, nestled in the mountains and existing for five million years, has seen its water level drop more than 8 meters since the late 1970s. According to NASA’s 2022 report, satellite imagery reveals that the lake lost 7 percent of its surface area and half of its volume between 1984 and 2020.
Causes of Lake Prespa’s Shrinkage
Lake Prespa spans approximately 260 square kilometers, more than twice the size of Paris, with the majority located in North Macedonia, and the rest shared by Greece and Albania. Environmentalists attribute the shrinking lake to a combination of factors, including insufficient rainfall, high evaporation rates, and excessive water use for irrigation by all three countries. The United Nations Development Program (UNDP) has sounded the alarm, highlighting that harmful farming practices, erosion, untreated waste, and wastewater are endangering wildlife species by destroying their habitats.
Impact on Lake Ohrid and the Urgent Need for Adaptation
Lake Prespa’s declining water levels also have repercussions for Lake Ohrid, situated just 10 kilometers away, which derives around one-third of its water from Lake Prespa. Dragan Arsovski, a biologist from the Macedonian Geological Society, emphasizes that while the lake’s water levels have fluctuated over the centuries, human adaptation and proactive measures are essential today. He acknowledges that some aspects of global climate change are beyond human control, necessitating adaptation to forthcoming challenges. Additionally, pesticide usage by fruit farmers has led to the excessive growth of biomass, endangering endemic species and contaminating the lake, making it vital for the community to address these concerns promptly.
SOURCE: Ref Image from Reuters
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