Blood-red from the bacteria that live in it, the salt lake is steaming hot, with temperatures that can reach up to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the New Scientist. If an organism drinks water, it will most likely die from severe damage at the cellular, nervous system and liver levels. Other than serving as a breeding area for the endangered Lesser Flamingo and as a home to certain kinds of algae and bacteria, Lake Natron is inhospitable to life. This red tinge to the water can even be seen from space 6. And if you bathe in this lake, the chemicals in the water will burn. The water of Lake Natron sometimes turns red (or orange-red) because of the algae that thrives in its hypersaline environment. The alkaline water of Lake Natron can reach pH levels as high as 12, while conditions suitable for life are usually only near a pH level of 7. The concentration of salt and some other minerals present here are high due to evaporation which is undergone for escaping the water that cannot be flowed out. While this colorful surface may be alluring in the eyes of many, it is a deadly trap for most animals. Is Lake Natron Turns Animals into Stones Natron lake which is saline can turn animals into stone and this phenomenon is real and natural. In fact, Lake Natrons alkaline waters support a thriving ecosystem of salt marshes, freshwater wetlands, flamingos and other wetland birds, tilapia and the algae on which large flocks of flamingos feed. Lava flows down from the mountain carrying a special amount of mineral salts. Despite some media reports, the animal didnt simply turn to stone and die after coming into contact with the lakes water. The “culprit” of this strange phenomenon at Lake Natron is a million-year-old volcano, called Ol Doinyo Lengai, located south of Lake Natron. The reason the lake has such a deadly name is that for thousands of years, any animals that stumble into the lake, their bodies are petrified in a short time. However, this place is also better known as the “Lake of Death”. Located in the north of Tanzania (Africa), Lake Natron is one of the famous lakes with magical beauty with bright red color. It is also what gives the lake its red color – Photosynthetic pigments in cyanobacteria are red in the deeper parts of the water, while the shallower parts of the lake are more orange-red. Even the water temperature is usually between 104 and 140 degrees F (40 and 60 degrees C).Īlthough most organisms cannot drink hot lake water, it is a perfect environment for a salt-loving microorganism called cyanobacteria. The climate there is so arid that most of the small rainfall the region receives evaporates before reaching the surface.
And also contains a high amount of sodium carbonate decahydrate called natron, hence the name Natron lake. However, the water flowing into the lake must pass through a layer of surrounding rock containing alkaline, so the water of the lake is very salty.
Most of its water comes from the hot springs and the South Ewaso Ng’iro River. It is 35 miles (56 km) long from north to south and 14 miles (22 km) wide. In the north of Tanzania, right next to Kenya, there is the beautiful and extremely popular Lake Natron. Despite some media reports, the animal didnt simply turn to stone and die after coming into contact with the lakes water.