LAKE NATRON TURNS ANIMALS TO STONE SKIN

In fact, Lake Natron's 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. And deposits of sodium carbonate - which was once used in Egyptian mummification - also acts as a fantastic type of preservative for those animals unlucky enough to die in the waters of Lake Natron.ĭespite some media reports, the animal didn't simply turn to stone and die after coming into contact with the lake's water. The water's alkalinity comes from the sodium carbonate and other minerals that flow into the lake from the surrounding hills.

LAKE NATRON TURNS ANIMALS TO STONE SKIN

The alkaline water in Lake Natron has a pH as high as 10.5 and is so caustic it can burn the skin and eyes of animals that aren't adapted to it. If an organism drinks water, it will most likely die from severe damage at the cellular, nervous system and liver levels.Lake Natron in Tanzania is one of the most serene lakes in Africa, but it's also the source of some of the most phantasmagorical photographs ever captured - images that look as though living animals had instantly turned to stone. And if you bathe in this lake, the chemicals in the water will burn. 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. While this colorful surface may be alluring in the eyes of many, it is a deadly trap for most animals. Lava flows down from the mountain carrying a special amount of mineral salts. 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.

Lake natron turns animals to stone