Lesotho is a small, land-locked, mountainous country located in the middle of South Africa. Its Eastern Lesotho Highlands are often referred to as the region’s “water tower” because they receive some of the highest rainfall amounts in southern Africa, providing water to South Africa and electricity to Lesotho through the Lesotho Highlands Water Project.
Despite this abundance of rainfall, and although the country has many wetland habitats, there are surprisingly few natural lakes. Researchers aren’t sure why – and our newly published study provides evidence that this may not always have been the case.
The research took place in a bowl shaped depression on the Mafadi summit, which is at 3,400m above sea level, high along the Great Escarpment in the eastern Lesotho highlands. Small white patches are visible across the landscape.
