Lake Amaramba (Lago Amaramba) is a shallow lake in Mozambique, near the border with Malawi. Located in the Nyasa plateau, it is north of Lake Chiuta. The lakes are separated by a sandy ridge and a channel links the two lakes. On the western side of the channel, the connecting waterway is known as the River Msambiti while on the eastern side, it is known as the Lugenda River. Lake Amaramba is intermittently linked to the Lugenda River, a tributary of the Ruvuma River.
Flora and Fauna:
The lake system (both Chiuta and Amaramba) had in the past very rich wild life but during the civil war suffered severe poaching and hunting. Aqua fauna in the lake also suffered due to overfishing caused by migrants from Malawi. Following this destruction, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) and Oxfam GB initiated measures to stop the illegal practices. A participatory approach involving people of the area, the local and provincial government and the Coastal Security Commission, was evolved to address the adverse ecological aspects created in the past, with the objective of enhancing production from the lake system without resorting to overuse of the resources of the lake.
