Lake Victoria, the largest lake in Africa and the second-largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area, is a vital geographical and ecological feature in East Africa. Shared by three countries—Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. Lake Victoria is an essential resource for millions of people living around its shores  is famous for its biodiversity, particularly its numerous species of cichlid fish, many of which are endemic. However, the introduction of the Nile perch has significantly impacted the native fish populations also the lake supports a wide variety of bird species, making it an important area for birdwatching. Surrounding the lake are extensive wetlands that support a variety of plant and animal life.  Many mammal species live in the region of lake Victoria and some of thes are closely associated with the lake itself and the nearby wetlands. Among these are the hippotamus, African clawless spotted necked otter, marsh mongoose, sitatunga, bohor reedbuck,defassa waterbuck, cane rots and giant otter shrew.