Lake Natron is a mineral-rich soda lake in northern Tanzania, at the border with Kenya. It's a breeding ground for hundreds of thousands of lesser flamingos, despite the highly alkaline state of the striking red waters. It sits below Ol Doinyo Lengai, a soaring active volcano in the Rift Valley. Trails lead from the lake to the Engero Sero waterfalls, which flow over craggy rocks into a natural pool.
Why the Lake Got Such Scary Water
Lake Natron is very close to the Active Volcano, OL DOINYO LEGAL. Volcano spews a rare kind of lava. They are rich in Sodium and Pottasium carbonate which are released into the water. The water pH has been measured as high as 10.5 and close to that of Ammonia and Thousand times more basic than pure water. Temperature reaching up to 60°c can literally burn off skin. The lake is reddish due to salt-loving microorganisms called Halophiles.
This Alkaline African Lake Turns Animals into Stone
Photographer Nick Brandt captures haunting images of calcified animals, preserved by the extreme waters of Tanzania’s Lake Natron
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