The Sahara desert was not always the arid and waterless expanse it is today. During the early Holocene period, around 10,000 to 5,000 years ago, the Sahara was a much wetter and more hospitable environment. There were numerous lakes, rivers, and wetlands that supported a rich ecosystem, including fish. Archaeological evidence, such as fish bones and harpoons, indicates that fishing was an important part of the livelihoods of the people living in the Sahara at that time. However, as the climate gradually changed and the region became drier, the lakes and rivers began to disappear, and the fish populations declined. Today, the Sahara is almost completely devoid of surface water, and the fish that once thrived in its waters are long gone.