The Momela Lakes are largely fed from underground streams and are not very deep. They are alkaline, which means they are very salty and animals do not use them for drinking. The lakes contain very few fish but many micro-organisms can grow in the highly alkaline water. Because of their different mineral contents, each lake supports a different type of algae growth and this gives each a different color. No doubt for this reason, bird life also varies from one stretch of water to another, even where the lakes are only separated by a strip of land a few yards wide.
Don't forget to drive counter-clockwise around the lake. En route there are several hides and observation points.
Bird life on the lakes also varies enormously according to the time of year. From October to April the lakes are alive with waterfowl that have migrated down from the northern hemisphere. For the remainder of the year the resident birds have the lakes to themselves. The commonest water bird on the lakes is the little grebe, a small greyish brown bird with a chestnut-red face and throat, with a high pitched trilling call. Also present but in fewer numbers are great crested grebes, recognized by their chestnut and black head-frills and black crown-tufts. Another common bird is the Southern pochard. The male is a very dark brown with a dark chestnut head and slate-blue bill. The female is paler, with a white mark on the side of the head.
Easily distinguished birds are the flamingos. Lesser flamingos are smaller than the greater flamingo, and their plumage is much pinker. The bill is dark red in the lesser and pink with a black tip in the greater flamingo. Lesser flamingos feed on algae while the greater flamingos eat tiny crustaceans that they filter through their bills. These different diets enable the two species to coexist in the same habitat.
One of the most easily recognizable birds is the Egyptian goose. It has a brown plumage with contrasting white shoulders. There is a chestnut patch on the center of the belly and one around the eye. Geese are grazers and will often fly long distances every day from their roost sites to good grasslands. In the agricultural settlements around Arusha National Park, Egyptian geese often cause damage to newly planted crops like maize.
Hippopotamuses are often seen near the island in Small Momela Lake. Hippos are large animals on average: 2,000 to 3,000 kilograms (4,409 to 6,607 pounds). It is not known exactly why hippos spend most of the day submerged, but they have a very porous skin, and the behavior is thought to prevent dehydration. They swim very well and dive for periods of about three minutes before coming up to breathe noisily.
Every night and occasionally on wet overcast days hippos leave the water to graze, sometimes roaming a considerable distance from their pool. They can eat up to 60 kilograms (132 pounds) in a night and feed only on grasses and sedges. Females give birth to a single calf either on land or in the water.
As you watch hippos you will most likely hear them grunting and might see them spreading their dung with vigorous wagging movements of their short strong tails. It is safe to watch hippos from the bank as they bask in water, but they should be avoided if found on land. Hippos are usually placid creatures but can become very aggressive if an intruder gets between them and their pool.
Other animals that you might see on your circuit of the lakes are bushbuck, buffalo, waterbuck, Bohor reedbuck and occasionally elephants, as they emerge from cover in early morning and late evening at Kinandia Swamp, or in the cleared pastures at the northern end of Small Momela Lake.
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