Zambia - Atlas of our Changing Environment

Satellite images show Lake Mweru Wantipa and its surrounding swamp areas in Northern Province. Its water is muddy and at times appears reddish and slightly oily. In the local dialect (Bemba) “wa ntipa” means “with mud”, hence “Mweru Wantipa” distinguishes it from its bigger neighbour Mweru, which has clearer water. As can be observed in the 2011 image, the lake has been shrinking. This change can be attributed to siltation and the food preservation practice of smoking fish (The Best of Zambia, 2011).

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ZAMBIA - ATLAS OF OUR CHANGING ENVIRONMENT

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