Evaporating waters due to excessive heat resulted in many fish which normally ply at Chadwick lakes dying, the Environment Resources Authority said.

Following reports of a number of dead fish at the Chadwick Lakes system, ERA is looking into the matter, the authority said in a statement.

“From initial assessments it is likely that the animals have died due to warm evaporating waters,” ERA said.

Unfortunately, it is to be noted that this happens every year in the dry season and mostly affects alien fish and freshwater animals introduced in the valley ponds. This is most often the case as such animals are not native to the dry Mediterranean summer and as a result cannot survive the hot and dry summer conditions.

ERA urged the public not to release any aquarium fish and other animals in local freshwaters as they are not adapted to our climates and end up affecting native species of importance.