Interesting facts about Lake Nicaragua: description, natural and animal world. Lake Nicaragua: description of the reservoir. Lake Nicaragua and its scary inhabitants Large rivers and lakes of Nicaragua

Lake Nicaragua is connected to the Caribbean Sea by the navigable San Juan River. Fresh water is supplied by numerous rivers and streams, among which the deepest is the Tipitapa River, flowing from Lake Managua.

At one time, when planning to connect the waters of two oceans - the Atlantic and the Pacific, there were projects that included the construction of a canal through this lake. However, these ideas sometimes pop up today. The only question is the sources of financing.

Lake Nicaragua, according to scientists, was formed on the territory of the Pacific Ocean gulf that existed in ancient times. Over time, the depression in which the bay was located lost contact with the ocean, and a lake formed in its place. However, the past oceanic connections of the lake remain alive in its waters and often remind of themselves. We are talking about unique fish that live in the waters of the lake - the famous sharks of Lake Nicaragua. Sharks are not found in any freshwater lake on the planet, at least as permanent inhabitants. But in Lake Nicaragua they have been living and thriving for many millennia.

Sharks of Lake Nicaragua

They learned about sharks in Nicaragua only in 1877, and for a long time they could not determine what type of shark they belonged to. Scientists later concluded that the sharks of Nicaragua are gray bull sharks. Bull sharks are a small family of sharks, to which only eight species belong, but sharks of this family can be found in completely different parts of the planet. The residents of the shores of Nicaragua themselves claim that the lake is home to not one, but two species of sharks - the white-bellied visitante and the red-bellied tintoreros. Only visitante, unlike tintoreros, swims from the ocean, so it is smaller and more mobile. How else do these two species of sharks differ, despite the eloquent names, none of them local residents can't say. However, they are equally afraid of them.

The sharks of Lake Nicaragua have a quite typical appearance for their species. Dense head with small eyes, rounded mouth. The lower surface of the body is white and the upper surface is gray. The teeth of the front jaw are smaller and sharper, while the teeth of the back jaw are larger and stronger. Although members of the bull shark family usually lay eggs, Lake Nicaragua sharks are viviparous.

Their length is also very atypical for their family. The sharks of Lake Nicaragua are quite large and can reach up to four meters in length, but the most common specimens are two and two and a half meters long. Why these fish can live in fresh water is still unknown.

One American physiologist suggested that this ability is influenced by the presence of urea in the blood of sharks. In humans, this would cause uremia - poisoning of the body with protein. However, the physiologist could not prove his theory. She also did not explain why some sharks are so eager for fresh water.

There are so many sharks in Lake Nicaragua that commercial fishing for this fish is carried out in the reservoir. Fishermen claim that they catch seven thousand individuals a year. Shark attacks on the lake are far from uncommon, so the state has set a reward for their extermination. Every year at least one person is killed in a shark attack in Lake Nicaragua. But the number of attacks is far from limited to one per year.

Many victims lose limbs and suffer numerous injuries, while others do not survive this unequal battle at all. In the middle of the last century, a shark attacked three people at once, and two of them died. The sharks of Lake Nicaragua are so dangerous because, unlike sharks that live in the ocean, they come very close to the shore. Of the reported attacks, the vast majority occurred in shallow waters.

Even if some sharks live in the lake all their lives, many individuals still get there from the ocean. Scientists have long wondered: What draws them to Nicaragua? While the luminaries of science are racking their brains over it, the Indians living on the shores of the reservoir have long had an answer to this question. There is a legend that previously, in order to appease sharks, the bodies of dead tribesmen were lowered into the water, and they were richly decorated. The bodies were washed out into the ocean and there they became prey for sea predators. Since then, sharks began to swim further down the river into the reservoir in order to profit from their next prey.

Other inhabitants of the lake

Visitors to Lake Nicaragua are surprised not only by the sharks that live there. Some other exclusively marine inhabitants are also found here. These are sawfish and even swordfish. For fans of sport fishing, special services have been organized where, for a low fee, you will be provided with gear and everything you need for fishing.

In general, fish mountain lakes Central America is predominantly carnivorous, i.e. predators. This is not surprising - there is little aquatic vegetation and plant food here. Also in Lake Nicaragua live flat-headed catfish (microgran catfish, steelhead pimelodus Blocha, sorbium paddlefish), common catfish, and fish of the perciforme order of the Cichlid family.

Along the shores of the lake there are numerous large (up to 60 cm) helmet-nosed basilisk lizards, capable of running on their hind legs even on the surface of the water. There are also numerous tiger ambystomas - representatives of the order of amphibians, reminiscent of salamanders.

It is noteworthy that some fish living in the lakes of Central America, including Lake Nicaragua, are known as beautiful and unique aquarium fish that use in great demand for aquarium lovers. These include lemon and diamond cichlids, some types of catfish and other small fish.

The islands of Lake Nicaragua are home to 76 species of parrots and toucans.

Islands

The area near the lake is by no means deserted; in its waters there are about three hundred small and large islands, only a few of which are inhabited.

The largest of the islands is Ometepe (translated from Indian as “two mountains”), on which there are two volcanoes, Maderas and Concepcien. Monuments have been preserved on the island ancient civilization pre-Columbian era - petroglyphs on rocks depicting animals and birds, and stone idols marking the sites of former Indian burials. Among the Indians, this island has long been considered sacred because of the volcano located on it.

Currently, Ometepe is a biosphere reserve (since 2010), home to rare species of animals, including spider monkeys.

The most big city on the coast is Granada - the third largest city in the country (the first two places are occupied by Managua and Leon). This is one of the oldest cities in Latin America, founded by Europeans (founded in 1524). Today Granada is major center tourism.

Another large Nicaraguan city is San Carlos, located at the mouth of the river of the same name on the border with the state of Costa Rica. The municipality of San Carlos includes the island of Solentiname, which, due to its rich fauna, is nature reserve.

Ancient petroglyphs were discovered on the Solentinam Islands - drawings on rocks depicting parrots, monkeys and people. The country's authorities have assigned the Solentinam Islands the status of national natural monument Nicaragua.

The climate on the islands is tropical, characterized by high humidity. average temperature 28–30 degrees. The water level in the lake depends on rainfall: from December to April there is a dry season, but from May to October the season of tropical downpours begins, which raise the water level in the lake.

Population

The population living on the shores of the lake are mainly mestizos, descendants of the ancient Indians. Their main occupation is growing bananas, coffee, avocados and cocoa. Plantations are located where the soil is fertilized with fertile volcanic ash, which, combined with the humid, favorable climate of those places, allows for huge harvests. The traditional crafts of the people include wood carving and twig weaving.

What to do on the islands?

Lake Nicaragua and its surrounding islands mainly attract amateurs active rest– sport fishing and surfing.

Beach holidays are not very popular there: the sands on the islands are gray, of volcanic origin, with small shells. And swimming on the islands is not the most pleasant because of the proximity to sharks.

Recently, due to the increasing incidence of attacks by marine predators on people and animals, the Nicaraguan authorities have allowed commercial fishing for these sharks. So now the inhabitants of the islands offer tourists such a type of recreation as shark hunting.

The islands also have their own small fishing fleet, which allows them to serve numerous tourists - lovers of sport fishing and surfing. Tourists are provided with all the necessary equipment for this for a small fee.

Since the 16th century, the island of Ometepe was chosen by pirates who took refuge there from persecution by the Spanish authorities, and because of this, the local population was forced to move higher to the slopes of the volcanoes.
The Nicaraguan shark can reach a length of 4 meters, the average length of a shark is 2-2.5 meters.
At one time, it was planned more than once to build a Nicaraguan canal that would connect the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, but these plans remained on paper.

Hello friends! Today again about Nicaragua. I am sure that after my exciting stories about this mysterious country you are already actively storming search engines in the hope of snatching cheap air ticket to Managua (the capital of Nicaragua)! :))) I continue to write about what to do in the poorest country in Central America. In the last post I already started a story about the main attraction of Nicaragua, told about the ferry to Ometepe, the Maderas and Concepcion volcanoes, how to rent a scooter there, find housing and about the main cities, and today I’ll tell you about the island beaches, Lake Nicaragua and sharks. bull.

Ometepe Island is located in Lake Nicaragua, the largest lake in Latin America by area. Initially, they wanted to build a canal connecting the Pacific Ocean with the Atlantic Ocean not in Panama, but on the territory of Nicaragua, because the Nicaraguan lake is already connected to the Caribbean Sea by the San Juan River, but due to the strong volcanic activity the idea of construction has remained just an idea, but it is fully functioning and earning money for its country, and at the same time for the United States of America. True, the Panamanians have been struggling lately, so talk about building a new canal across Lake Nicaragua is popping up more and more often.

Lake Nicaragua is also notable for the fact that it is home to one of the most dangerous animals in the world - the bull shark. This type of shark is considered the most bloodthirsty because it can attack a person near the shore, even at a depth of half a meter. This is the only shark species that lives in fresh water. The fact is that previously Lake Nicaragua was part of the Pacific Ocean, but due to constant earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, an isthmus of land was formed, cutting off the modern territory of the lake from the sea. Over time, the water became fresher thanks to the flowing rivers, and the sharks got used to the new conditions and lived happily there.

The Indians of Nicaragua are to blame for the fact that animals bite people, who have been sacrificing corpses on the coast since ancient times Caribbean Sea what attracted sharks. Over time, the bull shark moved deeper into the San Juan River and took root in the lake. Even today, few people visit the Indians living on the Caribbean coast, so it is possible that they continue to throw someone's corpses into the water, because new sharks continue to swim from the Caribbean Sea into Lake Nicaragua.

I found a video on YouTube. The bull shark (tiburón in Spanish) appears at 50 seconds.

The animals, poor fellows, do not know that they are being hunted, and the country's government strongly encourages the fishing of bull sharks in Lake Nicaragua. Despite the fact that the main cases of shark attacks on people are recorded off the coast, the residents of Nicaragua are not at all embarrassed by this, and every evening they come to swim in the lake before sunset.

One day on Ometepe we rented bikes for half a day for $4 and went to the beach Punta Jesus Maria(Punta Jesus Maria), which is south of the largest city on the island - Moyogalpa, drink beer and splash around in the lake. The distance of 4 km is covered easily and with song, the road is excellent, paved, along the way there are fields with sugar cane, green palm trees, cicadas chirp so much that your ears are blocked.

Nothing worked out for me with splashing around in the lake, the water was not at all clear, and I was afraid of bull sharks, so I decided to wait for the ocean - in a couple of days we planned to be in Pacifica.

I liked the beach - black sand mixed with shells, a view of Volcano Concepción.

During the dry season, the lake is separated by a strip of sand a couple of meters wide. You walk along it, and on both sides there is water and waves. An amazing feeling, as if the water was parting in front of you.

A turtle washed up on the shore, and then did not move for several hours: it did not run on land and did not return to the lake. Most likely, like me, I was afraid of sharks. So she and I sat on the beach until evening.

Right next to the beach, in a kiosk you can buy beer, rum and other drinks to make your time more fun.

Drinking alcohol on the beach is allowed, this is not Mexico. In Nicaragua, in principle, many things are allowed.

On the way to Punta Jesus Maria beach you can see construction new road. It looks a lot like a future airport.

I wrote about renting bicycles and motorcycles on Ometepe in my previous post. In the next article I’ll tell you how to look 10 years younger in 5 minutes and what you should be more afraid of on Ometepe than bull sharks.

Good animals to you! Sincerely,

***
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There are so many unexplored corners on our planet, where nature presents unexpected gifts, captivates and impresses! And if you just think about the fact that almost 90% of reservoirs have not been explored at all, it becomes even a little scary. What do the azure depths conceal? For example, Lake Nicaragua?

"Sweet Sea"

Local residents are accustomed to the proximity of their lake and have not thought about its secrets for a long time. They call it the "sweet sea." I wonder why? Because of the sweetness of fresh water? Or the vastness of its edges? The population of Granada calls the reservoir Lake Granada, but the rest of the planet knows only Lake Nicaragua, or Lago de Nicaragua. It is one of the largest bodies of water in the world and the only source of fresh water in all of Latin America. The dimensions are impressive, the view is beautiful, but the unusual inhabitants make you nervous. Only here you can see sea creatures, despite the fact that it is a lake. Scientists believe that the presence of ichthyofauna in the lake clearly proves the fact that Nicaragua was previously part of the Pacific Gulf. Why has everything changed?

After a volcanic eruption

It turns out that previously the reservoir was open, but tectonic changes and numerous volcanic eruptions provoked the flow of lava into the strait. So, part of the ocean separated and turned into an inland body of water, separating the inhabitants from the outside world. Slowly but surely they were displacing freshwater streams, but you can’t evict them that easily. Gradually they had to adapt to new conditions. Among these opportunists were sharks. By the way, the existence of the latter has not yet been practically proven, since their adaptation to fresh water is very doubtful. Some people doubt that there are sharks in Lake Nicaragua, citing the fact that accidentally encountered sea predators come here from the ocean, leaving behind a distance of 200 km and traveling along the San Juan River. Then there is another question - what attracts sharks here?

A mystery for all time

Freshwater shark The lakes of Nicaragua haunt scientists around the world with their habitat, but the Indians can answer this question. They believe that sharks “paved a path” into the lake many centuries ago, and the reason was the ancient ritual of burying the dead in water. The bodies floated into the ocean and became prey to predators. So, sharks got used to the taste of human meat and did not want to give up such a “diet”. Now they do not feel fear when swimming in shallow water, where it is easier to attack victims. The problem became more and more complicated every year, which became the reason for the introduction of extreme measures to destroy toothy fish.

A paradise for tourists

Lake Nicaragua has long been a tourist destination. Moreover, they are not even afraid of the threat of being bitten. Adults and even children boldly climb into the water, albeit in compliance with certain safety measures. For example, you cannot be distracted and forget about the threat. You should not swim with an open wound or during menstruation. In short, if you are tempted by the opportunity to dive into Nicaragua (lake), sharks will not be a serious obstacle. Tourists come to the town of Granada, which is located next to the reservoir. This is an amazingly atmospheric place that attracts walks and adventures. By the way, the walk will not be tiring, because the town is very small. IN central park you can try the famous Nicaraguan dish Vigoron, and there are carriages with excursions to the lake. The trip will take no more than twenty minutes. Lake Nicaragua beckons with its magic. It is one of the twenty largest lakes in the world.

Educational excursion

If you come to Lake Nicaragua with a large group, it is profitable to rent a separate boat for an hour or more. The rental price is symbolic - only 13 dollars, but you will have to bargain, since at first the price is unacceptably inflated. The islands near Granada were bought by local rich people. Mainly summer residences, since the islands are simply tiny and are unlikely to accommodate more than one house. It turns out that one island is one villa. Some of them can be rented for the weekend, for a large company or several families. The amount is also very pleasant - $300 for a house for the weekend. There are many monkeys in some lands. They are almost not afraid of people, but they also do not pay much attention - only 3-4 individuals come to feed. In general, walks around the islands are educational and interesting. There are unusual and bright ones, similar to which they slowly and importantly walk along the ground, sweeping it with their tails.

Now it’s time to turn our attention directly to Lake Nicaragua.

Description of the reservoir: its charms and beauty

A beautiful picture - a surface of water that resembles a mirror. It has amazingly clean air and the largest reserves of fresh water in Latin America. The maximum depth of the lake reaches 70 meters, and its area is almost 8600 square meters. By the way, this is where the border with Costa Rica passes. The lake is connected to the Caribbean Sea by the San Juan River, and fresh water flows from many rivers and streams. The deepest is the Tipitapa River, which flows from Lake Managua. Scientists believe that the reservoir appeared on the site of the ancient Pacific Gulf. Now the bay has been transformed, but the connection with the past remains. It manifests itself in the unique inhabitants of the reservoir, which are called sharks of Nicaragua. These cannot be found anywhere else, because this individual is a close relative of the gray

Scary visions

The legendary bull shark can be a truly shocking sight. Even without seeing her, but only after hearing the stories, you can give free rein to your imagination. This type is also distinguished by its ease of adaptation to desalinated water and can hide for a long time in river mouths. The size of such a “toothy” is simply indecent, and the danger to humans is serious. They say that they are not indigenous, but swam here and were unable to swim away after the volcanic eruption. Many scientists actively object to this position, saying that the bull shark can jump the San Juan River rapids, like salmon. To prove their assumptions, they cite the presence of a shark of this type in the open ocean. It was even found that the voyage of sharks from the lake to the sea and back can take from a week to 11 days. This is how scary Lake Nicaragua can be, and the bull shark is found there quite often, if you believe the stories of local residents.

Ecology and problems

In general, the lake remains a unique body of water, but its location causes some concern among environmentalists, because it is polluted by wastewater from nearby industrial plants. According to statistics, over the past 37 years, at least 30 tons of untreated sewage entered the lake every day. The marine fauna and flora of the reservoir are very diverse. Water lilies bloom here and fish swim, which are more likely to live in salty waters. These include sawfish, herring, tarpon and even sawfish.

A process of self-purification occurs in the lake, and all the dirt from the runoff that enters the water disappears. The reservoir has its own special character: in the east the water is calm and quiet, but in the west the influence of the trade winds manifests itself, and there are constant strong ripples. Powerful storms are not uncommon.

Not all islands on the lake are inhabited. The largest was formed on the basis of two volcanoes, which is reflected in the name - Ometepe (“ome” - two, “tepe” - mountain). In 2010, the territory of this island was recognized as a biosphere reserve. In the west there is also a third volcano - Mombacho. In general, volcanoes on the lake caused ash contamination.

The population here is represented mainly by mestizos. These are the descendants of the Indians who lived here in ancient times. They are mainly engaged in agriculture - they grow coffee, bananas and cocoa. Some of the plantations are located on islands where the ground is covered with volcanic ash, which, by the way, is very useful for crops.

Helmet-bearing basilisks crawl along the banks. These are large lizards that run on their hind legs and can walk on water. It turns out that Lake Nicaragua and its scary inhabitants may be quite cute.

On the island of Solentiname there are rocks with ancient drawings. There are almost a hundred species of parrots and toucans on the local islands.

It feels like paradise, but even paradise had its difficulties. So what can you expect from the earth?

There are thousands of bodies of water in the world, and each of them is special. Some are famous for their size, others for their water composition, others extraordinary beauty, fourth unique flora and fauna. Lake Nicaragua combines all these qualities and is also distinguished interesting story occurrence and a unique hydrological regime. Every year this natural body of water attracts thousands of adventurers and simply curious citizens who study our planet with interest. We invite you to take a short excursion to the amazing and mysterious lake Nicaragua. Unfortunately or fortunately, you will not meet sharks on it, but we promise that our virtual walk will be no less exciting and educational than the real one.

Location

From the name of the lake, everyone can guess that it is located in the distant Latin American republic of Nicaragua. If you remember your school geography lessons, it will become clear that Nicaragua is washed by two oceans at once - the Atlantic in the east, the Pacific in the west. In the Atlantic, just off the coast of the country, splashes the Caribbean Sea, which has become a symbol of pirates of all times. From the north Nicaragua has common border with Honduras, but for our trip this is not so important. From the south, the republic borders on a very distinctive country - Costa Rica.

So, the goal of our trip is Lake Nicaragua, which is located about a kilometer from this border. Moreover, quite a long piece south coast the reservoir practically repeats its outline. Due to this proximity, Costa Ricans often visit the lake for recreation, and some - to conduct illegal economic activities on it. The Pacific Ocean is less than 10 km from the lake, which has its own scientific explanation. From the Caribbean Sea the distance is much greater and is approximately 110 km in a straight line, that is, through the jungle and swamps. Several large and small settlements grew up on the shores of the lake. The most significant of them are the town of Rivas (in the east) and Big City Granada in the northeast.

How to get there?

We found out where Lake Nicaragua is located. Now let’s figure out how to get there, for example, from Moscow. The capital of the distant republic of Nicaragua is the city of Managua. He grew up on the shore of the lake of the same name, much smaller in size than the object of our trip, but also very beautiful. Managua has a large international Airport, where several flights operate from Moscow.

Note that by air you need to cover 10,800 km. The journey will not only be long, but also not particularly comfortable, since you will have to make 2 transfers. The first one will be in one of European countries(most often these are the Netherlands and the city of Amsterdam), the second is either in America (the most suitable cities are Houston and Miami), or in Panama, or in Mexico, or in Costa Rica. The flight will take at least 22 hours. The price of a one-way ticket is about 16,000 rubles. A visa is not required for Russians, but you will have to pay 10 USD. e. upon entry and 35 USD. e. when leaving the country.

Note that the time difference in Nicaragua and Moscow is 9 hours. From Managua we need to get to the city of Granada, which is already very close - only 42 km. You can overcome them by taxi or on an exotic Nicaraguan bus, called here a chicken bus. Along the lake, on its western side, there is a road along which you can get to other settlements.

A few words about history

Few people know that the Republic of Nicaragua owes its name to the Indian tribes of Nicarao, who were once the rulers of these places. When the Spaniards arrived, the tribe was ruled by Chief Nicarao, who died heroically fighting the discoverers. In memory of him and the people who inhabited these lands, the country was named, and with it Lake Nicaragua. The incredible proximity of the Pacific Ocean gives us the right to assume that the lake was once part of it, but thanks to tectonic processes that took place in prehistoric times, part of the land rose, separating the lake from the ocean. To some extent, this is confirmed by the findings of paleontologists, as well as the unique composition of the fauna living in the reservoir.

Lake Nicaragua: description of the reservoir

This natural object They call it unique for a reason. In terms of size, the lake is the second in Latin America and the nineteenth in the world. Its surface area is 8157 km2, its length is 177 km, its maximum width is over 70 km, and its depth reaches 70 meters. The western shores of the lake are more or less improved. As already noted, there is a road leading to Costa Rica, and beyond the village of Rivas almost to the very border it stretches almost to the very coast. On the western side, not so far from the lake, there are a number of volcanoes that are still active.

The eastern shores of the reservoir are less developed. There is also a road here, but it is of a lower category, so during the rainy season it becomes difficult to pass. You can use it to get to small towns - San Carlos (there is a local airport), San Miguelit, Acoyapa. The shortest distance from them to the lake is 5 km. To the east of these cities impenetrable jungles and swamps begin. On the eastern shores of the lake there are a couple of fishing villages, such as La Pelona or Puerto Diaz, but they are of no tourist interest.

Islands

Lake Nicaragua is home to about three hundred islands and islets. Most of them are uninhabited. Most large island The reservoir is called Ometele (locally “two mountains”). There are indeed two hills here, which are the craters of active volcanoes. The outline of the island resembles a dumbbell, at the ends of which there are volcanoes, and a thin isthmus serves as a bridge between them. The length of this “dumbbell” is 31 km, the width of its spherical parts is 10 and 5 km. Ometele is populated, with about 30 thousand people living here.

The second largest island in the lake is called Zapatera. It has its own volcano, the height of its crater is 630 meters, and the area of the entire island is no more than 52 km 2. This piece of land has been declared a nature reserve.

The third island worth visiting is called Solentiname. To be more precise, this is an entire archipelago, including 4 more or less large islands: Mancaroncito, Mancaron (the largest), San Fernando and La Venada, and there are also 32 very small ones that do not even have a name. This archipelago is also declared a national reserve.

Hydro resources

The San Juan River flows from Lake Nicaragua and runs to the Caribbean Sea. Shipping is so developed on it that the city of Granada, located at a considerable distance from the Atlantic Ocean, is considered an Atlantic port, not a Pacific one. By the way, it was along the San Juan River that more pirates entered Lake Nicaragua and felt quite at ease here. Now this river helps representatives of the oceanic ichthyofauna to swim into the reservoir.

The second major river that is important for the lake is the Tipitapa, which connects the reservoirs of Nicaragua and Managua. The lake is fed by about twenty small rivers flowing into it from the eastern, southern and western sides.

Flora

Lake Nicaragua lies in the tropics. It is always warm here, daytime temperatures do not fall below +25°C in winter and +32°C in summer. This region is characterized by a clearly defined rainy season, as well as fairly powerful trade winds. By the way, real storms are not uncommon on the lake.

This climate causes the growth of a wide variety of vegetation along the shores of the lake and near them, many of which are unique, such as mahogany and rubber plants. You can also find pine and oak here, and mangroves reign in the area between the Caribbean Sea and eastern shores lakes.

Fauna

Active economic activity contributes to deforestation, which changes the microclimate in the region and its biostructure. For now, jaguars, anteaters, tapirs, several species of monkeys, ocelots, pumas, crocodiles are still preserved here; unusual amphibians live in the coastal thickets - ambystomas, similar to salamanders, but when the Nicaraguan Canal, the route of which will stretch through the lake, is completed, their fate will be deplorable. Almost all sources, when describing interesting facts about Lake Nicaragua, name sharks in the first place. But on the coast of the reservoir there is an equally interesting animal - helmet-bearing basilisks. These are ancient and rather large lizards, whose body length reaches up to 75 cm. An interesting fact is that basilisks can run not only on land, but also on the water surface of the lake, developing speeds of up to 12 km/h.

Sharks

The description of Lake Nicaragua - a body of water - will be incomplete. animal world which is unusually rich, not to mention sharks. The reservoir we are describing is the only freshwater lake in the world where these predators are found. Locals believe that there are two varieties of them here - visitante (white-bellied) and tintoreros (red-bellied). Both belong to the bull shark species. Thanks to these predators, Lake Nicaragua is considered quite dangerous for divers, surfers and just those who like to swim, because many cases of shark attacks on people are recorded every year. Often attacks by predators end in death for their victims.

Bull sharks have a characteristic feature - a blunt snout. They grow up to 4 meters in length. This species is capable of living in both salt and fresh water. These predators hunt not only in depth, but also in shallow water, which poses a significant threat to people swimming in the lake. The freshwater shark of Lake Nicaragua, as well as the swordfish, are indirect evidence that this body of water was once part of the ocean.

Where to stay, what to do?

We got acquainted with all the features and interesting facts concerning Lake Nicaragua. Travelers, having arrived here, can stay at one of the hotels in the city of Granada or Ometele Island. Hotel prices are very low, you can rent a decent room for only 30 USD. e. per day. To get to Ometele, you need to take a ferry from the town of Rivas. You can't get to the island from Granada.

Arriving at Lake Nicaragua, you can fish here for exotic and ordinary fish. In coastal populated areas Tackle and boats are available for rental. Catch for a certain fee They will cook for you right there on the shore. In addition to fishing on the lake, you can visit local attractions. One of them is the Ometele caves with prehistoric rock paintings. Trips to the Mombacho volcano, declared a natural reserve, and to the Masaya village (which lies at the foot of another volcano) are also of interest. There is a market here with the most the best souvenirs, which you definitely need to bring home from your long trip to Lake Nicaragua.

Lake Nicaragua (Lago de Nicaragua) is the most big lake in Nicaragua. It is of tectonic origin, fills a tectonic depression and ultimately has an almost perfect oval shape. The shores of the lake are predominantly low-lying. Its appearance is the result of the work of a volcano: lava filled a narrow strait, separating the bay from the ocean and turning it into an inland body of water. With time salt water in the newly formed lake it was replaced by fresh water - from the forty rivers that flow into Nicaragua.
The largest of the inflowing rivers is the Tipitapa, which flows from the nearby (heavily polluted) Lake Managua. The San Juan River flows out of the lake and flows into. This connection allows us to call the lakeside city of Granada an Atlantic port, although it is closer to Pacific Ocean. This geographical location Granada in the old days led to sad consequences: in the middle of the 17th century. pirates passed the river to rich Granada and besieged it three times.
Lake Nicaragua ranks first in terms of surface area among freshwater lakes in Latin America and second among all lakes in Latin America. Depending on the counting system, it ranks 19th or 20th on the list of the largest lakes in the world.
Like most large lakes, Nicaragua has its own special character. In the eastern half of the lake, protected by mountains, the waters are quite calm; on the western side, influenced by the trade winds, there is a constant strong swell. Powerful storms are not uncommon here.
Only some islands on the lake are inhabited. Most big Island Ometepe is formed by two volcanoes - Concepcion (1610 m) and Maderas (1394 m). The name of the island reflects the story of its origin: in the Nahuatl Indian language, “ome” means two, and “tepe” means mountain. In 2010, the territory of Ometepe Island was recognized by UNESCO as a biosphere reserve.
The third volcano, Mombacho (1344 m), is located on west coast lakes. The presence of volcanoes in the vicinity of Lake Nicaragua caused its clogging with ash brought by rivers from volcanic areas.
Even before the Panama Canal was built, a plan to create a Nicaraguan Canal had long been mulled over. All projects boiled down to the construction of a canal across Lake Nicaragua and the San Juan River. Back in the 16th century. Spanish king Charles V of Habsburg (1500-1558) ordered the exploration of the isthmus in Nicaragua in order to connect the two oceans, but the level of technological development at that time did not allow construction to begin, and the Spaniards themselves did not seek to invest money in large-scale projects in Latin America .
This project was repeatedly returned to later, and often the authors of new proposals were outright adventurers who collected money from gullible investors.
After the construction of the Panama Canal, interest in the Nicaraguan Canal project waned, but sometimes this idea becomes relevant again, especially in moments of international political crises.
IN ancient times Lake Nicaragua was an ocean bay that, as a result of a volcanic eruption, turned into an inland body of water. Its waters are quite rich in fish, of marine origin. There are more than 400 islands on the lake, and some of them are inhabited.
Marine life such as sharks can be found in the fresh waters of Nicaragua.
The population on the shores of the island are mestizos, descendants of the Indians who lived here since ancient times. The main occupation of local residents is growing bananas, coffee and cocoa. A significant part of the plantations is concentrated on the islands, where the land is covered with extremely fertile volcanic ash, which, combined with a favorable climate, allows for large harvests. Nicaragua has its own lake flotilla, represented by both a small fleet and quite spacious vessels, intended, among other things, to serve numerous tourists. Lake Nicaragua is popular for surfing and sport fishing.
Nicaragua is the only one in the world freshwater lake, where sharks live. This is the clearest evidence that the area now occupied by the lake used to be large. sea bay. When the exit to the sea was blocked by lava flows, sharks remained in the lake and became accustomed to the new conditions. This shark has its own scientific name: Nicaraguan shark Carcharhinus nicaraguensis.
Until recently, the Nicaraguan shark was mistaken for the bull shark, which also lives in the lake. It subsequently turned out that the bull shark enters the lake from the Caribbean Sea, rises up the San Juan River against the current - like salmon - and ends up in Lake Nicaragua. This journey can take up to two weeks. Currently, there are so many sharks in the lake that surrounding residents are allowed to fish for them commercially.
In addition to sharks, Lake Nicaragua is home to marine life such as swordfish and tarpon, which looks like a very large herring. Although Lake Nicaragua is connected by the Tipitapa River to Lake Managua, due to the heavy pollution of the latter, sharks do not go there.
Granada is the most Big city on the shore of the lake. It occupies the third largest place in the country (after the capital and Leon), is the administrative center of the department of Granada and proudly bears the title of the oldest city founded by Europeans in Central America(founded 1524). Currently it is also the main tourist centre countries.
Another large city on the lake, San Carlos, stands where the San Juan River flows out of Lake Nicaragua, near the border with Costa Rica. The municipality of San Carlos includes the Solentiname Islands, which have the status of a national monument of Nicaragua. There is an exceptionally rich fauna here, and on the island of La Venada there is a preserved population of deer, after which the island is named (venado means “deer” in Spanish).
The beauty of the Solentiname Islands on Lake Nicaragua attracted masters of the pen and brush here, including the poet and politician Ernesto Cardenal (b. 1925), who founded an artists' commune on the island in 1966, which still exists today, as well as art Gallery.
On neighboring island Ometepe has preserved archaeological monuments of pre-Columbian civilizations - petroglyphs and stone idols - created at the latest in the 2nd millennium BC. e. In ancient times, the islands on the lake, due to their volcanic origin, were considered sacred by the Indians, which is why they were chosen as a burial place. Currently, there is a biosphere reserve here, which is home to rare species of koats - representatives of the family of spider monkeys.

general information

Administrative affiliation: Republic of Nicaragua.

Origin: tectonic.

Food: mainly rain.

Largest rivers: flows into Tipitapa; flows out - San Juan.

Largest island: Ometepe Island (276 km 2).

The most important ports: Granada - 83,439 people. (2013), San Carlos - 15,157 people. (2013).

Numbers

Area: 8264 km2.

Catchment area: 23,844 km 2 .

Volume: 108 km 3.

Length: 177 km.

Width: 58 km.

Maximum depth: 45 m.
Average depth: 13 m.

Type of mineralization: fresh.
Height above sea level: 32 m.
Number of islands: OK. 400.

Climate and weather

Tropical, trade wind.

Average annual temperature: +28 - +32°С.

Average annual precipitation: 1200 mm.
Relative humidity: 70%.

Change in water level: Decreases during the dry season from December to April and increases during the rainy season from May to October.

Economy

Lake shipping.

Fishing.
Agriculture : crop production (bananas, coffee, cocoa, avocado, cotton, corn).
Traditional crafts: wood carving, twig weaving.

Services: tourism (surfing, fishing), transport.

Attractions

City of Granada

Cathedral

Natural

wildlife

Historical

Cultural

Curious facts

■ The Nicaraguan shark reaches a length of 2-2.5 m and is a species that poses a potential danger to humans.

■ The first option for laying a canal between Tikhim and Atlantic Oceans envisaged its construction across Lake Nicaragua, but lobbyists for the Panama Project cleverly used Nicaragua postage stamps with the image active volcano Momotombo, smoking against the backdrop of Lake Managua. Despite the assurances of the Nicaraguan authorities, who claimed that the Momotombo volcano was located too far from the canal construction site, the Panama project was accepted. In addition, it was three times cheaper than Nicaraguan. And the Momotombo volcano inappropriately began to erupt during the construction of the Panama Canal.

■ Large lizards live along the shores of the lake - helmet-bearing basilisks (up to 60 cm long), capable of running on their hind legs even on the surface of the water.
■ Ancient petroglyphs were discovered on the Solentinam Islands - drawings on rocks depicting parrots, monkeys and people. The country's authorities have assigned the Solentiname Islands the status of a national natural monument of Nicaragua.
■ Before the construction of the Panama Canal, the San Juan River, which flows from Lake Nicaragua, was used to transport goods and people between the Pacific and Atlantic oceans. For a long time, it was the shortest connecting waterway from the east to the west of the United States. During the California Gold Rush, the American transportation company Vanderbilt used this route to transport miners to East Coast USA.
■ Between 1981 and 1990, opposition groups (“contras”), whose base camps were located in Costa Rica, almost completely blocked navigation on the San Juan River, which caused significant damage to the economy of Nicaragua.

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