New Delhi, April 15 (IANS). There are many mysterious lakes in the world which are considered extremely dangerous. One of these is Lake Natron, which is located in northern Tanzania. Very few people dare to go to the banks of this lake because the water here is fatal for most of the creatures.
The water of Lake Natron is extremely warm, salty and highly alkaline. Its pH level can reach 10.5, which is several times more acidic than normal water. The water temperature often ranges from 40 to 60 degrees Celsius. Most of the animals that fall into it die within a short time and their corpses get covered with minerals and become like stones.
This lake looks very beautiful in the pictures taken by the Landsat 8 satellite of the American space agency NASA. In these pictures the water of the lake appears dark red or pink in color. These pictures are from March 2017, when the rainy season was starting.
Natron’s unique chemical composition is due to nearby volcanic activity. The Oi Doino Lengai volcano, located about 20 kilometers from the lake, spews lava rich in sodium carbonate. This lava passes through underground cracks and reaches the lake in the form of hot springs. Due to less rainfall and more evaporation the water becomes thicker.
However, a strange balance of life is seen in this lake. Despite such harsh conditions, some creatures thrive here. A large number of micro-organisms called haloarchaeal live in the water, which give the lake its red and pink colour. The most special thing is that Lesser Flamingo birds nest on a large scale around the lake. About 75 percent of East Africa’s lesser flamingos are born around this lake. These birds eat the micro-organisms that grow in the salt water of the lake and are safe from predators here.
–IANS
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