Looks like hell on Earth: the eerie lake Natron. Photo

Animals and birds accidentally fall into the lake, die and are mummified.

What it is: a Natron – a salt lake.
Where: Northern Tanzania
For whom: anyone

The landscapes of Northern Tanzania on the border with Kenya, cannot be called picturesque. For the most part it is parched Savannah, panorama, which in some places is broken only by small Islands of trees and shrubs. For all its monotony of the landscape is truly unique. And all thanks to that 60 km stretch of the salt lake Natron, the color of water which is colored in red and pink.

The lake is part of the volcanic zone the Great Rift Valley. Next to him is acting carbonatite volcano Ol Doinyo Lengai, the lava of which is dominated by sodium carbonate. It feeds the lake from the river, Ewaso Ngiro and from underground hot springs. Along with the rain washing from the slopes of the volcano emitted substances, they form from waters of a lake rattlesnake “cocktail” of compounds of sulfur, phosphorus, chlorine and sodium carbonate. The water temperature in the lake can reach 50 °C, and the pH value of alkalinity of the medium 10.5.

The longer the dry season, the higher the salt concentration. When strong evaporation on the lake surface crust is formed from alkaline salts and aktiviziruyutsya bacteria living in such extreme conditions. Their activity changes the water color from blue to shallow waters to blood red in the deeper areas. The maximum depth of the lake does not exceed the three meters.

It would seem that in such a harsh environment will not be able to live neither flora nor fauna. However, such an aggressive environment is comfortable for several species of algae, fish and small flamingos. This is their only breeding ground, because the County is almost no predators. The poisonous environment of the lake was for the predators kind of invisible barrier, so the lake they ignore. In season evaporation on a lake formed islets on them, flamingos build their nests and breed.

The number of flamingos on the lake reaches several million. Among other things, they eat blue-green algae containing beta-carotene, which gives the feathers a bright pink color.

How Natron is beautiful, so it is hard — if the animal enters the lake, it immediately dies, and his body hardened in poses, turning into a “mummy”. This feature of the lake is illustrated by photographer Nick Brandt, captured the petrified birds and bats caught in a deadly trap

The route to this region is not the most popular among tourists. But those who dare to combine climbing Kilimanjaro with a trip to the “unknown” Tanzania, get amazing experience of visiting this place.

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